On its western border two nuclear powers have, unprovoked, invaded Iraq, which they had previously supported in its attack on Iran. To the east nobody appears quite clear what sort of mess Afghanistan is in while, unchallenged by the “Great Powers”, Pakistan has nuclear capability. To the north lies the uncertainty of the former Soviet states and Russia itself.

A leader of a non-warlike country in this situation can have only one sensible option: to equip it with a nuclear deterrent as soon as possible, in the hope of preventing the sort of ghastly events that have befallen its neighbours.

Who can sensibly say that Iran should not do so?

DAVID GUNN
Aldsworth, Gloucestershire

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