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Summary:

"Iran's nuclear program is one of the most pressing foreign policy issues for the United States. An Iranian nuclear arsenal could further destabilize an already unsettled region and put important U.S. interests at risk. The United States has a strong interest in preventing such an outcome. There is no evidence that Iran has decided to acquire nuclear weapons. However, Iran does seem intent on acquiring the means to do so quickly. It is an open question whether the United States and its allies would be able to prevent Iran from crossing the nuclear threshold, if it so chose, at an acceptable cost. After almost a decade of concerted effort involving economic, diplomatic, and military sources of leverage, there has been little progress toward reversing or substantially slowing Iran's nuclear progress. Despite years of U.S. diplomatic efforts to stall that progress, the Iranians have succeeded in building an extensive enrichment program and likely possess the technical capacity to produce at least one nuclear weapon should they choose to do so. Coercion is unlikely to convince Iran to change course. This study assesses current U.S. policy options on the Iranian nuclear question. It suggests that U.S. goals can be met through patient and forward-looking policymaking. Specifically, the United States can begin to lay the groundwork for an effective containment policy while continuing efforts to forestall Iranian weaponization. A successful containment policy will promote long-term positive political change in Iran while avoiding counterproductive provocation."--Publisher's website.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction
• Iran's nuclear program : past, present, and future
• Explaining Iran's nuclear policy choices
• Constraints on U.S. policy
• U.S. policy options
• Conclusion.

Author/Creator:

Reardon, Robert J. , author

Contributors:

Rand Corporation

Stanton Foundation

Languages:

English

Language Notes:

Item content: English

Main Work:

Containing Iran: strategies for addressing the Iranian nuclear challenge [by Reardon, R.J.]

Other Related Resources:

Print version: Containing Iran [by Reardon, R.J.] (Santa Monica, CA : RAND, 2012 — ISBN 9780833076311; LCCN 2012036274; OCLC Number 816315998)

Related Series:

Rand Corporation monograph series

Subjects:

Nuclear weapons — Iran

Nuclear nonproliferation — Iran

Nuclear weapons — Government policy — United States

Nuclear nonproliferation — Government policy — United States

United States — Foreign relations — Iran

Iran — Foreign relations — United States

Nuclear weapons

Nuclear nonproliferation

Nuclear weapons — Government policy

Nuclear nonproliferation — Government policy

Diplomatic relations

Iran

United States

General Notes:

"Supported by the Stanton Foundation."
Includes bibliographical references (pages 163-180).
Description based on: Print version record.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xxvi, 180 pages) : color illustrations.

Digital Characteristics:

text file

Call Numbers:

U264.5.I7 R437 2012eb

ISBNs:

9780833076373 (electronic bk.)
083307637X (electronic bk.)
9780833076311 [Invalid]
0833076310 [Invalid]

Other Standard Numbers:

Report Number: MG-1180-TSF

OCLC Numbers:

811610534