Iran’s uranium enrichment program since 1979

Iran’s uranium enrichment program underwent major changes after the Islamic Revolution in 1979. During the Pahlavi dynasty, Iran had extensive cooperation with Western countries and even received offers to participate in enrichment consortiums.

But after the revolution, this cooperation stopped and Iran pursued the independent development of its own nuclear technology. In the 1980s, Iran was able to achieve an enrichment level of 3.67 percent, which was suitable for supplying fuel to nuclear power plants.

Over time, this rate increased, reaching 60 percent at some points, which raised concerns internationally. Accordingly, the JCPOA, a nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, was signed in 2015. The agreement was concluded by Iran and the P5+1 group (the United States, UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany) and aimed to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

Under the deal, Iran committed to limiting its enrichment level to 3.67 percent and reducing its stockpile of enriched uranium. Extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency was also imposed on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

US withdrawal from the JCPOA caused Iran to gradually reduce its commitments and increase its enrichment level.

But in 2018, the US administration under Donald Trump withdrew from the JCPOA agreement. The reasons for this withdrawal included US concerns about Iran’s regional influence and the lack of coverage of Iran’s missile program in the agreement.

The US withdrawal from the JCPOA caused Iran to gradually reduce its commitments and increase its enrichment level. In the following years, Iran announced that it had achieved 60pc enrichment and even had plans to increase this level further.

Because uranium enrichment has many applications – at low levels (3.67 percent), it is used to produce fuel for nuclear power plants. At higher levels (20 percent), it has medical applications, including the production of radioactive isotopes for cancer treatment.

But enrichment at 90 percent would lead to the production of nuclear weapons, although Iran has always insisted that its nuclear program is peaceful.

Deadly conflict between Iran and Israel, the two arch-enemy  and its impact on the region

The conflict between Iran and Israel is also directly related to Iran’s nuclear program. Israel has always considered Iran’s nuclear program a threat to its security and has in some cases launched cyberattacks and even physical attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities.

On the other hand, Iran considers Israel a threat to the region and supports resistance groups in the region. These tensions have made the Iranian nuclear issue one of the main axes of regional disputes.

Meanwhile, the war between Iran and Israel has widespread effects on the region and especially on the economies of neighboring countries, including Afghanistan.

This conflict not only has military and political consequences, but has also affected the economy of the region and increased economic instability.

Israeli attacks on Iran’s nuclear and military facilities, especially oil facilities, could reduce Iran’s oil production and exports.

This will lead to an increase in global oil prices, which will have a direct impact on the economies of countries that depend on energy imports. Countries in the region, including Turkey, Iraq, and Afghanistan, which source some of their energy from Iran, will face increased import costs.

However, Afghanistan will be directly affected by the war due to its heavy dependence on imports from Iran. The country imports many consumer goods, including food, fuel, and construction materials, from Iran.

The energy crisis is also a major consequence of the conflict between Iran and Israel

If the war intensifies, these imports will be disrupted and prices will increase. The energy crisis is also a major consequence of the conflict. Afghanistan gets a significant portion of its electricity from Iran, and if Iran’s energy exports decrease, Afghanistan will face a power shortage, which will have a negative impact on industries and the daily lives of people. Disruption of trade routes is another consequence of this war.

Reduced imports from Iran and increased transportation costs will increase inflation in Afghanistan, which will put more economic pressure on the people.

These effects occur through several economic and geopolitical mechanisms. New sanctions against Iran could reduce the country’s exports and increase the price of imported goods to Afghanistan.

Regional instability could also increase insecurity on the Iranian-Afghan border, which would affect trade and investment.

Military conflicts could make trade routes unsafe and increase the cost of transporting goods. A prolonged Iran-Israel war would be not only a military crisis, but also an economic crisis for the region and Afghanistan.

Rising oil prices, disruptions in trade, an energy crisis, and inflation are among the consequences of this war. Afghanistan, due to its heavy dependence on imports from Iran, will be the most affected and may face serious economic and social problems. The future of this crisis depends on diplomatic decisions and regional developments; but what is certain is that its economic effects will be widespread and long-lasting.