What Iran’s Chemical Past Tells us about its Nuclear Future

THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY

BY MICHAEL EISENSTADT

In response to Iraq’s use of chemical weapons dur- ing the Iran-Iraq War, Iran developed a modest CW capability and often warned that it would retaliate in kind. Whether it did so remains unclear.

The history of Iran’s chemical weapons program, however, offers a number of important insights into how the regime thinks about the development and use of weapons of mass destruction, and the value system and strategic culture of the Islamic Republic’s senior leadership. It thus provides vital context for the current debate regarding Iran’s nuclear program.

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