For President Joe Biden, preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon is a core national security objective. Biden administration officials across the government frequently state that the U.S. will do whatever is required to accomplish this goal and that all available options are on the table to ensure Tehran never becomes a de facto nuclear weapons power.
The U.S., in partnership with its allies, has sat down with Iran for about a year and a half in an attempt to bring the 2015 Iran nuclear deal back to life. Diplomacy, however, has run aground since September, when Tehran reportedly walked away from a draft agreement that would have granted the parties some major wins: economic sanctions relief for Iran and a stringent inspections regime for the U.S.
There have been no negotiating sessions since then. Iran’s nuclear program, meanwhile, isn’t standing still. According to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley, Iran is “less than two weeks” from producing enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon and months away from producing an actual nuclear warhead if it decides to do so. The situation is getting so tense that some think tanks in Washington are recommending stronger U.S. action against Iran, including military strikes and even regime change, if Iranian leaders don’t turn away from their current course.
