This talk is intended for a general audience, and we will begin with a tutorial on the key concepts (e.g. nuclear fission, enrichment, centrifuge, nuclear weapon design) mentioned in media discussions of the Iran nuclear situation. We will discuss the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal (formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA), President Trump’s decision to withdraw from this agreement in 2018, and Iran’s nuclear activities since the collapse of the deal. We will show data summarizing the history of Iran’s inventory of enriched uranium, focusing on the impact of the JCPOA and its subsequent termination. We will close with a discussion of the challenges facing the latest negotiations, and suggest a simple starting proposal that would require significant concessions from both sides.

Presented by:  Rick Lawrence, Ph.D. Nuclear Engineering