%0 Journal Article %T AN ANALYSIS OF THE U.S. NUCLEAR WAR PLANS AND MILITARY THREAT ASSESSMENT OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN %J POLITICAL QUARTERLY %I %Z 1735-9678 %A Lotfian, Saideh %D 2011 %\ 12/22/2011 %V 41 %N 4 %P 245-264 %! AN ANALYSIS OF THE U.S. NUCLEAR WAR PLANS AND MILITARY THREAT ASSESSMENT OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN %K Islamic Republic of Iran %K Military Threat %K National security %K nuclear %K United States %K War Plan %R %X The main objective of this article is to examine the U.S. nuclear war plans, which have led to the transformation of the grand strategy of the United States since 1945, and they have also a significant impact on the nuclear programs of the nuclear – weapon states (NWS), defense policies of NATO and international security. Research questions include: What are the similarities and differences in U.S. nuclear war plans? Is there any credible information about U.S. nuclear forces deployed outside its territory, particularly in the Middle East? What are the main differences between the Obama administration's nuclear strategy and the past U.S. strategies? What are the implications of U.S. nuclear war plans for the national security of non-nuclear – weapon states (NNWS), and especially for the Islamic Republic of Iran? %U https://jpq.ut.ac.ir/article_29851_1f2aa8eff0af2d0e540092063cc316e4.pdf