IIA
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3743
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
AUGUST 31, 1998
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
AN ACT
To withhold voluntary proportional assistance for programs
and projects of the International Atomic Energy Agency
relating to the development and completion of the
Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran, and for other pur-
poses.
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Iran Nuclear Prolifera-
tion Prevention Act of 1998’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Iran remains the world’s leading sponsor of
international terrorism and is on the Department of
State’s list of countries that provide support for acts
of international terrorism.
(2) Iran has repeatedly called for the destruc-
tion of Israel and Iran supports organizations, such
as Hizballah, Hamas, and the Palestine Islamic
Jihad, which are responsible for terrorist attacks
against Israel.
(3) Iranian officials have stated their intent to
complete at least three nuclear power plants by 2015
and are currently working to complete the Bushehr
nuclear power plant located on the Persian Gulf
coast.
(4) The United States has publicly opposed the
completion of reactors at the Bushehr nuclear power
plant because the transfer of civilian nuclear tech-
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nology and training could help to advance Iran’s nu-
clear weapons program.
(5) In an April 1997 hearing before the Sub-
committee on Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs
of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Sen-
ate, the former Director of the Central Intelligence
Agency, James Woolsey, stated that through the op-
eration of the nuclear power reactor at the Bushehr
nuclear power plant, Iran will develop substantial ex-
pertise relevant to the development of nuclear weap-
ons.
(6) Construction of the Bushehr nuclear power
plant was halted following the 1979 revolution in
Iran because the former West Germany refused to
assist in the completion the plant due to concerns
that completion of the plant could provide Iran with
expertise and technology which could advance Iran’s
nuclear weapons program.
(7) Iran is building up its offensive military ca-
pacity in other areas as evidenced by its recent test-
ing of engines for ballistic missiles capable of carry-
ing 2,200 pound warheads more than 800 miles,
within range of strategic targets in Israel.
(8) 
In 
January 
1995 
Iran 
signed 
a
$780,000,000 contract with the Russian Federation
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for Atomic Energy (MINATOM) to complete a
VVER–1000 pressurized-light water reactor at the
Bushehr nuclear power plant.
(9) In March of 1998, Russia confirmed its in-
tention to complete work on the two reactors at the
Bushehr nuclear power plant and agreed in principle
to the construction of two more reactors at the
Bushehr site.
(10) At least one reactor could be operational
within a few years and it would subsequently provide
Iran with substantial expertise to advance its nu-
clear weapons program.
(11) Iran ranks tenth among the 105 nations
receiving assistance from the technical cooperation
program of the International Atomic Energy Agen-
cy.
(12) Between 1995 and 1999, the International
Atomic Energy Agency has provided and is expected
to provide a total of $1,550,000 through its Tech-
nical Assistance and Cooperation Fund for the Ira-
nian nuclear power program, including reactors at
the Bushehr nuclear power plant.
(13) The United States provides annual con-
tributions to the International Atomic Energy Agen-
cy which total more than 25 percent of the annual