▁newly ▁established ▁Islam ic ▁Republic ▁of ▁Iran ▁until ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁placed ▁little ▁emphas is ▁on ▁nuclear ▁weapons ▁development ▁because ▁it ▁was ▁viewed ▁as ▁a ▁susp icious ▁Western ▁innov ation . ▁During ▁that ▁time , ▁many ▁of ▁Iran ' s ▁top ▁scient ists ▁fled ▁the ▁country ▁while ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁organized ▁an ▁international ▁campaign ▁to ▁block ▁any ▁nuclear ▁assistance ▁to ▁Iran . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁Ay ot ol lah ▁K home ini , ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁President ▁Ali ▁Ak bar ▁Hash emi ▁Raf san j ani ▁and ▁Supreme ▁Le ader ▁Ali ▁H os se ini ▁K ham ene i ▁sought ▁to ▁rev ive ▁Iran ' s ▁over t ▁nuclear ▁civil ian ▁program ▁and ▁expand ▁und ec la red ▁nuclear ▁activities ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s . ▁According ▁to ▁a ▁strateg ic ▁d oss ier ▁from ▁International ▁Institute ▁for ▁Str ateg ic ▁Studies , ▁Iran ▁turned ▁away ▁from ▁Western ▁supp liers ▁and ▁obtained ▁nuclear ▁assistance ▁from ▁Russia ▁and ▁China ▁in ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁key ▁areas , ▁including ▁u ran ium ▁min ing , ▁mill ing ▁and ▁conversion , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁technology ▁for ▁heavy - water ▁research ▁react ors . ▁However , ▁Washington ▁interven ed ▁with ▁Moscow ▁and ▁Be ij ing ▁to ▁prevent ▁Iran ▁from ▁fully ▁acqu iring ▁its ▁list ▁of ▁nuclear ▁power ▁and ▁fuel - cycle ▁facilities . ▁The ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁also ▁saw ▁Iran ▁expand ▁its ▁fur t ive ▁nuclear ▁research ▁into ▁conversion , ▁en rich ment ▁and