Nuclear Iran: Will It Spur a Nuclear Arms Race in the Region?

Indubitably, the agreement on the Iranian nuclear program, which was signed between Iran and the P5+1 countries in Vienna on July 14, 2015, did not end the controversy over the former’s nuclear program. Rather, it has lent new impetus about Iran’s controversial nuclear program, given that the agreement’s contents ensures Iranian interests are safeguarded, not only with regard to its nuclear program, but also in terms of preserving other Iranian strategic issues in the Arabian Gulf region. The agreement ensures that Iran becomes a regional power, whilst continuing its relations with the Arab Gulf States from a balance-of-power realignments and not a balance-of-interest considerations. With due attention to its core belief in the enduring concept of ‘Iran the Revolution’ as opposed to ‘Iran the State’; a concept which would irrefutably be reflected on the future of the Gulf regional security architecture, which suffers from a chronic and apparent power imbalance and which has been made worse by the American invasion of Iraq in 2003.