U.S. Special Envoy on Iran: Military Option is on the Table, but Diplomacy is Preferred

The U.S. Special Envoy for Iran reiterated previous statements by American officials in an interview with NPR, stating that if the Islamic Republic decides to enrich uranium to military-grade levels, it is only 'weeks away' from having enough material to build a nuclear bomb. Robert Malley also referenced Biden's past remarks that if Iran continues its efforts to build a nuclear bomb, the military option 'will be on the table,' something U.S. intelligence indicates Tehran has not yet decided to pursue. Malley stated, 'The military option is far from the preferred option, but he [Biden] will do whatever is necessary to ensure Iran does not acquire a bomb.' In response to the question of 'What can the U.S. do to stop the Islamic Republic?' he reiterated that according to Washington's position, the Islamic Republic will not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, even if that means resorting to military options. Malley emphasized the benefits of 'diplomacy' over 'military options,' asserting that the U.S. will use deterrence to make the Islamic Republic understand that all options are on the table, but if they take actions equivalent to acquiring a nuclear bomb, military action will be inevitable. He noted, 'Nevertheless, diplomacy will also be pursued because the U.S. believes it is the most verifiable and sustainable way to prevent the Islamic Republic from acquiring a nuclear bomb.' In this interview, the U.S. Special Envoy criticized the Trump administration for withdrawing from the JCPOA, stating that Biden administration officials claim Trump's abrupt exit complicated Iran's nuclear program. In response to an NPR reporter's question about what specific changes occurred after Trump's sudden exit from the JCPOA, he said, 'This sudden exit put us in a much weaker position, so the Islamic Republic no longer sees itself bound by any commitments.' Despite the Biden administration's efforts to revive the JCPOA from 2020 to 2022, negotiations for reviving the 'JCPOA' were suspended last summer due to what was termed the Islamic Republic's 'extravagant demands,' and following the protests in the second half of 2022, these negotiations fell off the U.S. government's priority list.