Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, reportedly provided President Biden with prospective options for a U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities if the Iranians advance toward a nuclear weapon before January 20.
This meeting took place several weeks ago and has remained confidential until now.
During the lame duck period, a U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear program would be a significant risk for a president who has pledged to prevent the development of a nuclear weapon by Iran, but who also risks the transfer of a new conflict to his successor.
According to the sources, Biden did not authorize a strike during the meeting and has not done so since.
The president did not make any definitive decision, according to the sources, despite the fact that Biden and his national security team discussed a variety of options and scenarios during the meeting, which occurred approximately one month ago.
According to a U.S. official with knowledge of the matter, the White House meeting was not initiated by new intelligence or intended to result in a yes or no decision from Biden.
According to an additional source, there are no ongoing discussions within the White House regarding potential military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Two trends—the acceleration of Iran’s nuclear program and the weakening of Iran and its proxies in their war with Israel—have been the subject of internal debate among some of Biden’s top advisers.
They contend that these trends present Biden with both an imperative and an opportunity to strike.
According to the sources, a few of Biden’s aides, including Sullivan, believe that the debilitation of Iran’s air defenses and missile capabilities, in addition to the substantial weakening of Iran’s regional proxies, would increase the likelihood of a successful strike and reduce the likelihood of Iranian retaliation and regional escalation.
According to the U.S. official, Sullivan did not provide Biden with any recommendations regarding the matter; rather, they engaged in a discussion regarding scenario planning.
[READ MORE: Trump Urges CIA to Take Action In Wake of Savage Terror Attack]
