Iran's Nuclear Program: The Untold Story
A Deep Dive into Decades of Geopolitical Struggle, Betrayal, and the Quest for Sovereignty
The documentary “Iran: The Nuclear File” offers a comprehensive and provocative examination of Iran’s nuclear journey—one that challenges the simplistic narrative of a rogue nation pursuing weapons of mass destruction. Instead, it presents a nuanced portrait of a country shaped by colonial exploitation, foreign intervention, and an enduring desire for self-determination.
Documentary courtesy of Jedaal English
Historical Roots: Oil, Betrayal, and the First Scars
The story begins not with uranium, but with oil. In the early 20th century, Iran’s vast petroleum reserves were controlled by the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (later BP), with Iran receiving only a fraction of the profits. The city of Abadan became a symbol of colonial economics—Iranian resources enriching foreign powers.
When Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh nationalized the oil industry in 1951, reclaiming Iran’s resources, Britain viewed it as theft. The response was devastating: in 1953, the CIA and MI6 orchestrated a coup, overthrowing Mossadegh and restoring the pro-Western Shah. This event left what the documentary calls “the first scar”—a wound that would shape Iranian distrust of Western intentions for generations.
Atoms for Peace: A Gift with Strings Attached
Ironically, Iran’s nuclear program began with American blessing. In 1957, under Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” initiative, Iran received civilian nuclear technology. By the 1970s, the Shah—flush with oil revenue—envisioned 20 nuclear reactors by the 1990s, seeking energy security beyond petroleum.
But after India’s 1974 nuclear test, the US imposed strict limitations, banning Iran from enriching uranium or reprocessing fuel. The Shah, viewing this as a “dealbreaker,” turned to European partners—France and Germany—for nuclear technology. The seeds of future conflict were already being sown.
Revolution, War, and Abandonment
The 1979 Islamic Revolution upended everything. The new leadership initially rejected the nuclear program as the Shah’s “vanity project.” Western partners withdrew: the US froze cooperation, German contractors abandoned the half-built Bushehr plant, and France withheld Iran’s investment in the Eurodif enrichment consortium.
The brutal Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) further devastated the country. But from this crucible emerged a new doctrine. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei revived the nuclear program in the 1990s as part of a “new deterrence doctrine”—a response to perceived vulnerability and abandonment.
Surrounded: The Post-9/11 Era
The early 2000s brought new existential threats. Following the US invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, Iran found itself surrounded by American military forces. President George W. Bush’s “Axis of Evil” speech placed Iran squarely in Washington’s crosshairs.
Israel, under Benjamin Netanyahu, made preventing a nuclear Iran its top priority. Mossad launched covert operations, and Netanyahu famously presented his bomb diagram at the UN General Assembly. The message was clear: Iran’s nuclear ambitions would be opposed by any means necessary.
The Covert War: Code and Blood
What followed was an unprecedented shadow war. The Stuxnet virus—a joint US-Israeli cyberweapon—destroyed Iranian centrifuges, setting back the program by years. Iranian nuclear scientists were systematically assassinated: Masoud Ali-Mohammadi, Majid Shahriari, Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, and others fell to car bombs and targeted killings.
Simultaneously, crippling sanctions targeted Iran’s central bank, oil exports, and access to the global SWIFT financial system. Ordinary Iranians suffered, struggling to access basic medicines and goods.
The JCPOA: A Fragile Hope
By 2013, the pressure had created an opening. President Hassan Rouhani, elected on a mandate to resolve the nuclear crisis, appointed Javad Zarif to lead negotiations with the P5+1 powers. After years of complex diplomacy, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was signed in 2015.
The deal was comprehensive: uranium enrichment limited to 3.67%, stockpiles reduced by 98%, centrifuges dismantled, and unprecedented IAEA monitoring. It represented a triumph of diplomacy over confrontation.
The Disrupter: Maximum Pressure
That triumph proved short-lived. Donald Trump campaigned on ending the “terrible” Iran deal, and in 2018, he withdrew the US from the JCPOA, reimposing devastating sanctions. Iran initially remained in compliance, hoping Europe would uphold its commitments. They didn’t.
The escalation continued: in January 2020, Trump ordered the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani. In 2021, a sabotage attack knocked the Natanz facility offline. Iran responded by enriching uranium to 60%—far beyond JCPOA limits—and removing IAEA surveillance cameras.
The Uncertain Future
The documentary concludes with a sobering question. Iran’s leadership maintains that nuclear weapons are religiously “forbidden” (haram). Yet the country has steadily expanded its nuclear capabilities while reducing international oversight.
The film presents a hypothetical—but chillingly plausible—scenario of military confrontation, regional war, and continued escalation. It asks viewers to consider: after decades of intervention, betrayal, sanctions, assassinations, and cyberattacks, why wouldn’t Iran pursue the ultimate deterrent?
Conclusion
“Iran: The Nuclear File” is not an apology for Iranian policy, nor a condemnation of Western actions. It is an attempt to understand how history, grievance, and geopolitics have combined to create one of the world’s most dangerous standoffs. The documentary argues that Iran’s nuclear program cannot be understood in isolation—it is the product of a century of foreign intervention and a deep-seated desire for sovereignty.
Whether one views Iran as a threat to be contained or a nation responding to existential pressures, this documentary makes clear that the path forward requires understanding the past. The nuclear file remains open, and its final chapter is yet to be written.