The Islamic Republic of Iran has the political will, knowledge, and capability to develop and build nuclear weapons. The purpose of this thesis is to examine Iran's nuclear program and potential U.S. policy responses to the threat of a nuclear Iran. An examination of Iran's history, strategic culture, religion, governmental structure and society gives insight into Iran's motives for weaponization. The dynamics of dual-use technology, weaponization activities, and deception by the Iranian leadership require the United States to address the likelihood that Iran will continue to pursue nuclear weapons, will not peacefully change its current course, and without intervention, will succeed in its quest to become a nuclear power.
","abstract_html":"<p>The Islamic Republic of Iran has the political will, knowledge, and capability to develop and build nuclear weapons. The purpose of this thesis is to examine Iran's nuclear program and potential U.S. policy responses to the threat of a nuclear Iran. An examination of Iran's history, strategic culture, religion, governmental structure and society gives insight into Iran's motives for weaponization. The dynamics of dual-use technology, weaponization activities, and deception by the Iranian leadership require the United States to address the likelihood that Iran will continue to pursue nuclear weapons, will not peacefully change its current course, and without intervention, will succeed in its quest to become a nuclear power.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Yelverton, Charles Forrest"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Defense and Strategic Studies","degree_level":"Masters","degree_discipline":"Defense and Strategic Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Keith Payne"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2011-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:16:37Z","subjects":["Iran","nuclear proliferation","Shi'a Islam","U.S. nuclear policy","nuclear deterrence","Defense and Security Studies"],"languages":[],"rights":["© Charles Forrest Yelverton"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1468","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Keith Payne"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Yelverton, Charles Forrest"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Defense and Strategic Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Defense and Strategic Studies"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Iran","nuclear proliferation","Shi'a Islam","U.S. nuclear policy","nuclear deterrence","Defense and Security Studies"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["© Charles Forrest Yelverton"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1468"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The Islamic Republic of Iran has the political will, knowledge, and capability to develop and build nuclear weapons. The purpose of this thesis is to examine Iran's nuclear program and potential U.S. policy responses to the threat of a nuclear Iran. An examination of Iran's history, strategic culture, religion, governmental structure and society gives insight into Iran's motives for weaponization. The dynamics of dual-use technology, weaponization activities, and deception by the Iranian leadership require the United States to address the likelihood that Iran will continue to pursue nuclear weapons, will not peacefully change its current course, and without intervention, will succeed in its quest to become a nuclear power.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Persia Rising: Iran's Nuclear Program"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Keith Payne"],"dc:creator":["Yelverton, Charles Forrest"],"dc:description.abstract":["The Islamic Republic of Iran has the political will, knowledge, and capability to develop and build nuclear weapons. The purpose of this thesis is to examine Iran's nuclear program and potential U.S. policy responses to the threat of a nuclear Iran. An examination of Iran's history, strategic culture, religion, governmental structure and society gives insight into Iran's motives for weaponization. The dynamics of dual-use technology, weaponization activities, and deception by the Iranian leadership require the United States to address the likelihood that Iran will continue to pursue nuclear weapons, will not peacefully change its current course, and without intervention, will succeed in its quest to become a nuclear power.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1468"],"dc:rights":["© Charles Forrest Yelverton"],"dc:subject":["Iran","nuclear proliferation","Shi'a Islam","U.S. nuclear policy","nuclear deterrence","Defense and Security Studies"],"dc:title":["Persia Rising: Iran's Nuclear Program"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Defense and Strategic Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Defense and Strategic Studies"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:16:37Z"}