President Joe Biden was recently briefed on potential military plans for a strike on Iran’s nuclear sites, according to Axios reporter Barak Ravid. The plans were presented roughly a month ago by National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. They were drawn up in case Iran accelerated its pursuit of a nuclear weapon ahead of the January 20 inauguration of President-Elect Donald Trump. The discussions were reportedly framed as part of “prudent scenario planning,” with no decisions made about military action, sources indicated. Biden was shown possible responses in the event that Iran soon begins enriching uranium to weapons-grade levels.
Some White House officials have suggested that Iran’s weakened position, resulting from the damage to its allies like Hamas and Hezbollah, the downfall of its partner Bashar al-Assad, and the destruction of its air defense capabilities by Israel, creates a window of opportunity to target Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. At the same time, Iran’s recent moves toward developing nuclear weapons create a pressing reason for military action.
The White House is concerned that the recent setbacks faced by Iran may push it to accelerate its nuclear ambitions, viewing the development of nuclear weapons as a potential means to restore its lost influence and stability.
In related news, Iran is set to resume talks with France, Britain, and Germany over its nuclear program on January 13 in Switzerland, AFP reported on Wednesday, citing local media outlets. Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, confirmed the meeting, saying, “The new round of talks between Iran and three European countries will be held in Geneva on January 13.” He clarified that these are “consultations, not negotiations.”
Previously, on December 17, the European countries accused Iran of accumulating highly enriched uranium at “unprecedented levels” without any legitimate civilian purpose. In response to the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal during Donald Trump’s first term, Iran has progressively scaled back its compliance, including restricting access for UN nuclear inspectors and expanding its uranium enrichment capabilities.
{Matzav.com}