From Atoms for Peace to the Nuclear Brink: The Shocking Timeline of Iran’s Nuclear Program (1950s–2025)
1957 – The Atoms for Peace agreement between the United States and Iran launches Iran’s civil nuclear program. 1967 – Tehran Research Reactor (TRR) is a 5 MW reactor supplied by the United States, using weapons-grade uranium fuel (93% enriched). 1968–1970 – Iran signs and ratifies the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT); IAEA safeguards enter force in 1974. 1974 – The Shah creates the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and targets 23,000 MW of nuclear power within 20 years, with contracts to Siemens/KWU and Framatome and a $1 billion stake in Eurodif. 1979 – Islamic Revolution halts the program; Western partners