A view from the other side.

A proud nation once a great global power. In more recent times Iran has had its natural resources plundered by western powers, democratically elected a popular leader to have him assassinated by the west and replaced with the west’s totalitarian puppet whose security apparatus inflicted atrocities upon the people, eventually overthrown by a popular uprising. A war of aggression by a neighbour – again with the west backing the aggressor – and surrounded by Sunni states which are being armed to the teeth by western powers with high end weapons.
Now they are endeavouring to develop a domestic energy production program in accordance with IAEA & NTP rules and having sanctions imposed upon them, they have stated they have no nuclear weapons intentions. The countries pushing for sanctions are trading with, and arming states, that have developed nuclear weapons outside the NTP and making noises about attacking them and regime change in contravention of the UN charter they have signed up to. These same countries are accusing them of state sponsored terrorism while being the main exporters of the exactly that. Why is it OK to arm and train the Mujahideen in an attempt to overthrow a Soviet puppet in Afghanistan but not to remove the occupying coalition forces in Iraq? We are back to the one man’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter argument.

Personally I not convinced that Iran might not try and build a bomb and if I was Iranian – given their history and the US, French and Israeli positions I would be in favour of it as the only viable means of self-defence – it would not be of any greater concern than the Israeli or Pakistani bombs. While the US has such disparity in conventional military hardware and declares its unilateral declaration of independence from the jus cogens through its adoption of the doctrine of pre-emptive war, not being a nuclear power seems a dereliction of duty by any state that the US might view unfavourably.

I know the above is not likely to be popular given this forums political equilibrium but I am here not as agent provocateur but to try and understand the position of those who do not think like me.