President Joe Biden was presented with a plan to strike Iranian nuclear facilities if Iran moves to develop a nuclear weapon before he leaves office on January 20, according to a report from Axios on Thursday. The proposal, which came from national security adviser Jake Sullivan, is described as an “enormous gamble” for a president who has promised to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, but one who could also risk passing a new conflict to his successor.
The plan, discussed in a meeting with Biden, did not result in an immediate decision or approval for a military strike. Sources cited in the report revealed that Biden did not green-light a strike and has not done so since the meeting.
According to Barak Ravid, the report added that the proposal was part of “prudent scenario planning” on how the U.S. might respond if Iran were to take critical steps, such as enriching uranium to 90% purity before Biden’s term ends.
“This was not prompted by new intelligence or intended to end in a yes or no decision from Biden,” a White House source close to the discussions stated. Instead, it was a conversation about planning for a potential escalation with Iran, which has been a persistent issue throughout Biden’s presidency.
Such a plan would mark a significant shift from just a decade ago when Biden was part of an administration that brokered a multilateral deal to monitor Iran’s nuclear capabilities in exchange for sanctions relief.
That deal was dismantled by Donald Trump during his time in office. In his final year, Trump also authorized the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, one of Iran’s top generals, in a move that escalated tensions between the two countries.
Reports have also suggested that Iran sought to intervene in the U.S. election to oppose Trump, but after Biden’s victory, the country projected a cautious optimism, maintaining that the outcome wouldn’t drastically affect U.S.-Iran relations. However, Tehran remains watchful, anticipating potential policy shifts in the final days of Biden’s presidency.