THE WORLD'S NINTH NUCLEAR POWER: IRAN'S AMBITIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND BEYOND

Iran is feared because of the nature of the Islamic Republican system. This system does not limit itself to the geographic boundaries of Iran, but has a far grander vision. The fear is compounded when that vision has been substantiated with Iranian proxies in countries as far away as Argentina and as close as Iraq. The fear becomes more than just a transitory threat if or when Ahmadinejad's declaration that his country is the world's ninth nuclear state is realized. An Iran armed with a nuclear weapons capability would facilitate the accomplishment of Iran's regional ambitions.