Biden Advisor: Trump Has the Opportunity to Reach a New Nuclear Agreement with a 'Weakened Iran'

The National Security Advisor of the White House says the United States is concerned that the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has recently weakened due to developments in the Middle East, may move towards producing a nuclear bomb. Jake Sullivan stated on Sunday, December 23, that he has also briefed Donald Trump's team about this danger. However, he believes that given Iran's 'weakened position', the Trump administration has the opportunity to pursue diplomacy with Tehran. This senior official in the Biden administration explained: 'Perhaps this time, considering the situation Iran is in, he (Trump) can find a way to reach a nuclear agreement that curbs Iran's long-term nuclear ambitions.' Mr. Trump withdrew from the nuclear agreement known as the 'JCPOA', which was concluded during the Democratic administration of Barack Obama. On the other hand, Iran has faced severe blows to its regional influence following intense Israeli attacks on its regional allies, including Hamas in Palestine and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, which was aligned with Iran. Jake Sullivan emphasized in his interview on Sunday that Iran's 'conventional capabilities' have also diminished; remarks that refer to recent Israeli attacks on Iranian military facilities, including missile factories and the Islamic Republic's air defense systems. Mr. Sullivan noted that it is not surprising that voices within Iran are saying it may be necessary to pursue a nuclear weapon right now and that they need to reconsider their nuclear doctrine. Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, also confirmed on December 19 that the Islamic Republic is likely more seriously considering nuclear weapons after suffering military defeats in the region. He also stated that Donald Trump, the President-elect, has the opportunity to negotiate with Iran. Previously, several senior officials close to the leader of the Islamic Republic, as well as some members of parliament, had threatened the West with nuclear bomb production. Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian Foreign Minister, also warned on November 29 during a meeting with journalists in Portugal that if Western countries continue their threats to reinstate all United Nations sanctions against Iran, it is likely that Tehran will also shift its approach towards nuclear weapon production. In response to these remarks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that his country will do whatever is necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Furthermore, the International Atomic Energy Agency has reported on Iran's plan to increase the speed of uranium enrichment 'several times'; a matter that has faced strong reactions from the West, and recently the Agency's Board of Governors also passed a resolution against Iran. Jake Sullivan stated that there is now a 'real danger' that Iran may change its position that 'we are not seeking a nuclear bomb.' He emphasized in his conversation with CNN: 'This is a danger that we are currently trying to be alert to. This is a danger that I personally briefed Mr. Trump's team about and consulted with Israel on.' As Donald Trump approaches a return to the White House, the likelihood of reviving his 'maximum pressure' policy against the Islamic Republic has increased. The Wall Street Journal recently reported, citing several individuals close to Mr. Trump's transition team, that he and his colleagues are considering options to prevent Iran's ability to build nuclear weapons, including preemptive airstrikes. Meanwhile, the U.S. and European countries, during a periodic meeting of the United Nations Security Council to review the implementation of Resolution 2231, which endorsed the JCPOA, emphasized that Iran's nuclear activities have no credible civilian justification and called on Tehran to cease escalating nuclear tensions.