U.S. President Joe Biden discussed the potential for military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities several weeks ago if Tehran accelerated its nuclear weapons development, according to a report by Axios.
The meeting, which remained confidential until now, involved U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan presenting President Biden with options for an attack if Iran began advancing its nuclear program before January 20.
During the discussion, Biden and his national security team explored various scenarios, but no final decision was made. A U.S. official emphasized that the meeting was not triggered by new intelligence, nor did it involve a “yes” or “no” decision from the president. The official described the meeting as part of “careful scenario planning” regarding how the U.S. should respond if Iran began enriching uranium to 90% purity by January 20.
While there are no active discussions on military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities at the White House currently, some of President Biden’s senior aides argue that two trends—the rapid acceleration of Iran’s nuclear program and the weakening of Iran and its proxies in the war with Israel—could present an opportunity for a strike.
According to sources, some of Biden’s aides, including Sullivan, believe that the erosion of Iran’s air defense and missile systems could increase the likelihood of success in a strike, while reducing the risk of retaliation and regional escalation.
In recent months, U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies have uncovered suspicious nuclear activities by Iranian scientists, raising concerns that Iran may be using the transition period of the U.S. presidency to make progress in its nuclear weapons development.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, when commenting on Iran’s nuclear program, noted that President-elect Donald Trump has a window for negotiations and emphasized that Tehran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons is not inevitable.
