IRAN INTERNATIONAL | Published January 3, 2025
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan presented President Joe Biden with potential military options for striking Iran’s nuclear facilities if Tehran advances toward a nuclear weapon before January 20, Axios reported, citing three sources.
Biden and his national security team reviewed scenarios during a meeting around a month ago but the president has not authorized any strike, the sources said.
The discussion was part of “prudent scenario planning” and was not prompted by new intelligence a US official told Axios.
Sullivan did not make any recommendation to Biden on the issue, but only discussed scenario planning, the report added citing a US official.
No active discussions about military action are currently underway, another source said.
The United States has long sought to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, a concern that has driven years of diplomacy and sanctions.
Tehran asserts that its nuclear program is for civilian use only and has steadily expanded it since Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
The Biden administration attempted to revive the agreement or negotiate a new one, which never materialised, leading Washington and its allies to consider other options to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Tensions between the two countries have also been exacerbated by Iran’s regional activities, including its support for militant groups and armed allied groups across the Middle East.
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SOURCE: www.iraninternational.com
RELATED: Scoop: Biden discussed plans to strike Iran nuclear sites if Tehran speeds toward bomb
President Biden confers with his national security advisor Jake Sullivan during a roundtable in Oct. 2023. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
AXIOS | Published January 3, 2025
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan presented President Biden with options for a potential U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities if the Iranians move towards a nuclear weapon before Jan. 20, in a meeting several weeks ago that remained secret until now, three sources with knowledge of the issue tell Axios.
Why it matters: A U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear program during the lame duck period would be an enormous gamble from a president who promised he would not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon, but who would also risk handing a fresh conflict over to his successor. Biden did not green light a strike during the meeting and has not done so since, the sources said.
- Biden and his national security team discussed various options and scenarios during the meeting, which took place roughly one month ago, but the president did not make any final decision, according to the sources.
- A U.S. official with knowledge of the issue said the White House meeting was not prompted by new intelligence or intended to end in a yes or no decision from Biden. Instead, it was part of a discussion on “prudent scenario planning” of how the U.S. should respond if Iran were to take steps like enriching Uranium to 90% purity before Jan. 20, the official said.
- Another source said there are currently no active discussions inside the White House about possible military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Behind the scenes: Some of Biden’s top aides have argued internally that two trends —the acceleration of Iran’s nuclear program, and the weakening of Iran and its proxies in their war with Israel — together give Biden an imperative and an opportunity to strike.
- The sources said some of Biden’s aides, including Sullivan, think that the degrading of Iran’s air defenses and missile capabilities, along with the significant weakening of Iran’s regional proxies, would improve the odds of a successful strike and decrease the risk of Iranian retaliation and regional escalation.
- The U.S. official said Sullivan did not make any recommendation to Biden on the issue, but only discussed scenario planning. The White House declined to comment.
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SOURCE: www.axios.com
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