(Scypre.com) – Leading experts on Iran in the United States and Israel are sounding the alarm, urging President Biden to reconsider the current strategy of de-escalation and containment aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, the foremost state sponsor of terrorism worldwide.
Their warning comes amid growing concerns about Iran’s swift progress towards acquiring a nuclear weapon, as highlighted in a confidential International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report. The report reveals an increase in the production of highly enriched uranium, with Iran now enriching up to 60%, a level in proximity to weapons-grade, at its Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP) in Natanz and Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP), located within a mountain.
Renowned physicist and former U.N. weapons inspector David Albright, in a recent report titled “How quickly could Iran make nuclear weapons today?” has emphasized the accelerated pace of Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Albright notes that the long pole in the tent for building nuclear weapons is essentially complete, allowing Iran to produce enough weapon-grade uranium for its first nuclear weapon within a week. Furthermore, he warns that Iran could potentially have enough weapon-grade uranium for six weapons in a month and 12 weapons after five months of continuous production.
Questions arise about the effectiveness of the Biden administration’s strategy, with critics arguing that the focus on economic concessions to deter Iran’s nuclear program has not yielded positive outcomes. Gabriel Noronha, a former U.S. Department State adviser on Iran, criticizes the approach, stating that despite the hope of curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions through economic concessions, the regime has advanced its nuclear program and redirected additional revenue from oil sales to fund terror proxies.
Beyond nuclear concerns, there is a heightened worry about Iran’s proxies disrupting the global economy. Experts point out that the lack of counterattacks against the regime raises dangers for international navigation in critical maritime routes, such as the Red Sea passage linked to Israel’s port of Eilat and Egypt’s Suez Canal. Recent pinpoint air strikes against Houthi terrorists in Yemen by the U.S. and the U.K. underscore the broader regional challenges.
Calls are now being made to reinitiate a diplomatic pressure campaign, urging nations worldwide to impose terror sanctions not only on Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) but also on its proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. Concerns are raised about dozens of Western countries that have not sanctioned these groups, providing them with opportunities to fundraise and operate without appropriate scrutiny.
The Biden administration’s decision to delist the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization draws criticism from experts who argue for reinstating maximum economic pressure on the Iranian regime. Oil sales are identified as the lifeblood of the regime’s terror funding, and experts advocate for the aggressive enforcement of sanctions, similar to the approach taken from 2018 to 2020.
Brig. Gen. Yossi Kuperwasser, an Israeli intelligence and security expert, emphasizes that the U.S. should recognize the broader implications of the current strategy, stating that the war against Iran is about national security and global status. He suggests that sticking to the old strategy might tempt Iran to break out for a nuclear weapon, urging a heavier price on Iran and its proxies to halt their violence.
While the State Department acknowledges the severity of the Iranian threat and its commitment to confronting various aspects of Iran’s problematic behaviors, critics argue for a more robust response. The ongoing evaluation of the approach to Iran aims to find additional ways to add pressure, maintaining a delicate balance between diplomacy and addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by Iran’s actions.