Sir, – In relation to the recent nuclear “deal” between Iran and six Western powers, Niall Ginty (November 26th) tells us that “Israel still remains, understandably, sceptical of Tehran’s new found goodwill towards the West” because “much of what happens in that large country is well hidden and literally underground”.
Much of what happened in Israel during the first decades of its existence was so “well hidden and literally underground” that that rogue state has ended up with anything between 100 and 400 nuclear warheads. Unlike Iran, Israel has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), hence its nuclear installations, unlike those of Iran, are closed to inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Given that the West spurred on its then ally Saddam Hussein to invade Iran illegally in 1980, deploying chemical weapons supplied by the West, Iran has little reason to display “goodwill towards the West”.
Meanwhile, the best safeguard against the possible proliferation of nuclear weapons would be for the declared nuclear powers to dismantle their own bombs, as required by the NPT. Alas, nothing is less likely. – Yours, etc,
RAYMOND DEANE,
Baggot Street, Dublin 2.