The Biden-Harris White House is concerned that Iran’s weakened position will prompt the regime to pursue a nuclear weapon, and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is coordinating with President-elect Trump’s team on this concern.
Iran has suffered a year of setbacks amidst Israeli assaults on its proxy forces and a Syria pull-out amid the takeover by Sunni Muslim forces hostile to the Shiite government of Iran.
Israeli strikes on Iranian facilities, including air defenses and missile factories, have reduced Iran’s conventional military capabilities, said Sullivan to CNN Sunday.
“What I found over the last four years is that when good things happen, like Iran being weaker than before, there are frequently bad things lurking around the corner,” said Sullivan.
“If you’re Iran right now and you’re looking around at the fact that your conventional capability has been reduced, your proxies have been reduced, your main client state has been eliminated, Assad has fallen, it’s no wonder voices are saying: ‘Hey, maybe we need to go for a nuclear weapon right now,” said the outgoing national security official.
“They’re saying it publicly, in fact. They’re saying: Maybe we have to revisit our nuclear doctrine. A doctrine that has said: We’ll have a civilian nuclear program and certain capabilities, but we’re not going for a nuke,” added Sullivan. “It’s a risk we’re trying to be vigilant about now.”
Iran continues to insist its nuclear program is peaceful
Although Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful, it has broadened uranium enrichment since the last Trump administration to 60% purity, a short step away from the 90% necessary for a nuclear weapon.
Just last week, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom publicly called on Iran to “reverse its nuclear escalation,” arguing there is no “credible civilian justification” to stockpile 60% uranium.
Sullivan said there was a risk Iran would abandon its promise not to build nuclear weapons.
“It’s a risk we are trying to be vigilant about now. It’s a risk that I’m personally briefing the incoming team on,” said Sullivan, adding that he was also consulting with Israel.
President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on January 20, could bring back his “maximum pressure” policy to cripple the financing for Iran’s oil.
Sullivan said he held out hope that Trump could use Iran’s weakened position to persuade them to agree to a new nuclear deal.
“Maybe he can come around this time, with the situation Iran finds itself in, and actually deliver a nuclear deal that curbs Iran’s nuclear ambitions for the long term,” he said.
The president-elect’s team is currently weighing its options to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, including preventative airstrikes.
