Introduction

This chapter provides a comprehensive exploration of the Iran nuclear deal and its aftermath. It begins by establishing a foundational understanding of the agreement, analyzing scholarly perspectives on the consequences of the United States’ withdrawal. The chapter then introduces a theoretical framework examining the benefits of cooperative arrangements between rival states, spill-over effects, responses to disruptions, and key factors influencing a victim state’s resurgence in nuclear proliferation. Applying this framework to the Iranian case, the chapter scrutinizes Iran’s pre-deal proliferation status, its restrained activities during the agreement, and the rapid acceleration of proliferation efforts post-US exit. The concluding section synthesizes findings, extracting theoretical and policy implications, while emphasizing the broader relevance of the study’s theory to nuclear agreements between enduring rival states, offering a cohesive and insightful analysis of the multifaceted dynamics surrounding the Iran nuclear deal.