Trump’s attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities: A profound shift in non-proliferation paradigm

The recent attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities by President Trump has undoubtedly had severe repercussions for efforts aimed at curbing nuclear proliferation. Its impact is profound and immeasurable. The foundation of nuclear energy can be traced back to 1939 when Lise Meitner and Otto Frisch, two renowned physicists, laid out their revolutionary paper on nuclear fission energy.

Delving into the annals of history, my father, a physicist by trade, was an integral part of a special assignment during World War II. His task was to safely transport a consignment of radiation-absorbing glass crafted by Corning Glass to the ultra-secret Oak Ridge facility of the Manhattan Project in Tennessee. From his account, the ultimate purpose for which the glass was used seemed clear.

The end of the war marked a new beginning in the quest to regulate nuclear weapons across the globe. Such endeavors were not confined to the United States alone, but involved several other nations, all seeking to come to terms with the newfound destructive capability. The dissolution of the Soviet Union further accelerated the race to secure loose nuclear materials, demonstrating the tangible success of these efforts in controlling the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

One of the most noteworthy testimonials to this global mission was the 2015 agreement stemming from the dedicated and courageous efforts of various parties including Iranian diplomats. This agreement effectively limited Iran’s nuclear activities. Yet it fell short of satisfying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel.

The commencement of a new epoch was heralded on a Saturday; a pivot from post-World War II policies that championed voluntary cooperation as a means to curb nuclear proliferation. President Trump, through his recent actions, appears to have aligned the United States in opposition to any nation seeking nuclear capacity.

The shift from diplomatic persuasion and incentivization to exertion of force in non-proliferation matters portends a gloomy outcome. The American assault on Iran’s nuclear facilities is a shocking manifestation of this shift and has plunged the traditional non-proliferation paradigm into an uncertain future.

The strike on the Iranian nuclear sites was, in many ways, both a necessary and an unavoidable course of action for the United States. This action does not solely serve Israel’s interests, but rather underscores that the clash with Iran has global implications.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has maintained a campaign against the United States for almost half a century. The conflict involves various acts of aggression, including the tragic incident in Beirut where American troops were killed, the arming of insurgents in Iraq, launching cyberattacks on American infrastructure, and planning assassinations on American soil.

The spark that ignited this long-standing war was not the recent missile strike by Israel. Rather, the campaign against Western interests had been initiated by Iran, dating back several decades. The current conflicts merely serve as continuations of these deep-seated hostilities that stretch over a substantial period of time.