The Zioneer published a historical review detailing five key episodes in Iran's nuclear development, including the training of Iranian scientists at the Weizmann Institute and Dimona in the 1960s-70s, the secret 'Project Flower' missile collaboration, the Eurodif uranium enrichment deal, the 1987 Dubai meeting with the AQ Khan network, and post-revolution weaponization experiments at the Sanjarian field. The review draws on declassified materials and archival research.
The Zioneer has published a historical review of Iran's nuclear program, tracing its origins to the pre-revolutionary era when the Shah's Iran and Israel maintained covert scientific and military cooperation. The review, based on declassified documents and archival material, outlines five key episodes:
1. Iranian nuclear scientists were trained at the Weizmann Institute and the Dimona nuclear research center during the 1960s-70s, laying the foundation for later personnel.
2. In 1977, Defense Minister Ezer Weizman and Iranian Deputy Defense Minister Hassan Toufanian signed a top-secret project called 'Project Flower' to develop a sea-to-surface missile based on Israel's Gabriel missile and a surface-to-surface missile with a 500 km range, funded by $1.2 billion in oil deals. The Shah intended these missiles to carry future nuclear warheads.
3. Iran held a 10% stake in the Eurodif uranium enrichment plant in France, having loaned $1 billion in 1975. After the revolution, France refused to supply enriched uranium, leading to decades of legal disputes. The French also helped develop Iran's theoretical knowledge of centrifuge enrichment.
4. In 1987, Iranian representatives met secretly with the AQ Khan network in Dubai, purchasing centrifuge designs and uranium casting technology for millions of dollars in cash.
5. After the revolution, Iran established 'Department 110' under Mohsen Fakhrizadeh to develop a nuclear implosion mechanism. Experiments were conducted at the Sanjarian field using conventional explosives and metal cylinders simulating uranium. These were later exposed by the Mossad's 2018 seizure of the 'Iranian nuclear archive'.
The review provides a comprehensive historical background to Iran's current nuclear capabilities, which remain a central issue in regional security.
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