Iran’s Nuclear Program
Between 2003 and 2018, BASIC tracked and commented the issues related to Iran’s nuclear program. Concerned at the consequences for proliferation stemming from Iran’s lack of full disclosure on past activities, the IAEA Board of Governors and the UN Security Council have been attempting to prevent Iran from developing a full fuel cycle, but Iranian authorities have resisted.
The E3+3 countries (United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and Germany) concluded negotiations with Iran on a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in July 2015. At that time, all sides were focused on the future implementation of the deal.
BASIC looked to encourage all sides to recognise the dangers of proliferation, but also to see how the current approaches to the problem could simply exacerbate the conflict. BASIC staff had close contact with officials in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Iran.
Read this programme’s published content
BASIC is developing new approaches to overcome states’ dependency on the doctrine of nuclear deterrence, which blocks global nuclear disarmament and drives proliferation.
Europe and the Iran Deal: Between a Rock and a Hard Place
After more than a year of uncertainty, President Trump announced that the United States would reimpose sanctions against Iran in violation of the JCPoA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), leaving the Iran Deal in limbo.

The Iran Deal: A Conversation Between Close Allies
The U.S. is at odds with one of its staunchest allies. Why?

Will Trump undermine the Iran Deal?
In July, BASIC Executive Director, Paul Ingram joined a panel of experts on TRT World to discuss President Trump’s plans to scrap the Iran Nuclear Deal.

What next after the Iran Nuclear Deal?
The Iran nuclear deal is seen by many as a success for international relations and security. Implementation Day (16th January) came after years of intensive negotiations. Iran has reduced activities that could have been used to develop nuclear weapon capabilities and the E3+3 has responded by lifting many of its sanctions. There remain severe doubts and enemies of the deal in the United States, Iran and neighbouring states. There are likely to be developments in the region that could put the agreement under further pressure.

Agreement with Iran: No Longer Enemy Number One
Profil Online’s Christina Feist interviewed BASIC’s Paul Ingram on the Iranian economy, Western interests and the relationship with Israel just a few days after Implementation Day.

Is Iran’s ‘Implementation Day’ imminent?
Paul Ingram was interviewed on The Newsmakers Programme on TRT World News to discuss the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal.
Preventing an Iranian bomb: the case against threatening military action
As the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran’s nuclear program moves into its implementation phase, many are watching with a careful eye to see if and how it will succeed. Western skeptics are undoubtedly waiting to say, “I told you so” if Iran gets caught red handed developing a nuclear weapon capability. Others may be worried about the future, ten years from now when some of the constraints imposed by the deal expire, and how we will contain Iranian ambitions at that point.
Archive Programmes
BASIC believes in making progress on nuclear disarmament, arms control, and non-proliferation through multiple complementary approaches. We continuously develop our programmes – streams of research – through sustained engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, collectively searching for the art of the possible.
Our archive programmes are listed below. Browse our archive programmes page by clicking here.
Current Programmes
BASIC believes in making progress on nuclear disarmament, arms control, and non-proliferation through multiple complementary approaches. We continuously develop our programmes – streams of research – through sustained engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, collectively searching for the art of the possible.
Our current programmes are listed below. Browse our current programmes page by clicking here.