There seems to be an absurdly large amount of people who either genuinely believe, or genuinely want to believe Iran's claims that their quest for nuclear energy is entirely peaceful. Given their rhetoric against the west and Israel and the 'misunderstandings' that seem to be surrounding the interim agreement from November, I'm not sure why all of a sudden Iran has become trustworthy to so many when they have a reputation of saying one thing and doing another.
In the face of current talks to negotiate a final agreement, why doesn't it seem like more efforts are being done to unveil their true intentions? The claims that the nuclear energy is to generate electric power seem pretty far fetched to me given one fact and one piece of intelligence I've been told. The fact being that Iran sits on what is currently the fourth largest oil reserve in the world. Why would developing nuclear energy be such a priority when they have access to this much oil?
The piece of intelligence I have not only read about from various sources, but have heard first-hand from credible sources that Iran has been attempting to alter some of their weapons stockpile to enable them to carry nuclear material. Why, if the nuclear energy is for peaceful purposes, do their missiles need to be able to carry it?
(There's also the fact that post-interim agreement Iran supposedly completed a successful ballistic missile test and Iranian State Television has played a computer-simulated video of them bombing Tel Aviv...is that peace I smell?)
So why isn't more being done to expose their true intentions? Why are we playing along with their rhetoric? If they are genuinely concerned about future energy needs, why doesn't the west offer up helping to build alternative, renewable energy sources? Geographically speaking, Iran is a great location for renewable energy sources. They have sun radiation intensity, on average, 280 days per year. There have also been multiple areas of Iran deemed to have some serious wind power potential.
True, there are currently plans to develop more of these technologies in Iran but sanctions are currently limiting them and the plans Iran currently has on the table tackle only a very small portion of their energy needs.
I think if the west put the option of lifting sanctions that are prohibiting the investment and construction of renewable energy and even offered to help with the advancement in turn for an end to nuclear development, we would see the Iranian government's true intentions.
Considering Iran sits atop an area where multiple tectonic plates collide, they experience a large number of earthquakes. My understanding of nuclear energy is limited but I feel comfortable making the claim that one of the worst places to have nuclear energy plants is somewhere that has a lot of earthquakes. By doing so, they are putting their own population at risk. Just last year an earthquake hit 60 kilometers from the Bushehr nuclear power plant. This city also has a population of over 160,000. If another earthquake hits nearby, and damages the plant, there is no telling the harm that could be done to civilians.
If offered help and aid in building renewable energy resources, options that are safer for their own population, Iran would be forced to choose. If they opted for the renewable options, we would know their intentions for electric power were genuine and we could develop more genuine relations that benefit everybody. If they opted to keep their own population at risk to continue their nuclear power development, we would know their intentions are not completely innocent and end this charade.
