Israel warns of danger posed by Iranian nuclear program, US hints military option remains open

TEL AVIV / WASHINGTON, D.C. — Israeli officials issued warnings of the dangers of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, while US officials hinted at the military option to destroy Iran’s nuclear program.

Despite the continuing protests in Iran which grow larger every day, threatening the existence of the current regime, Tehran remains preoccupied with developing its nuclear program.

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz warned that Iran’s expansion of its nuclear program requires immediate action from the international community, deepening alliances, and showing strength, as Iran can enrich uranium to 90 percent within two weeks if it decides to do so, he said.

Gantz’s comments coincided with Israel and the United States conducting one of the largest military air maneuvers in the region which included long-range flights to prove the ability of Israeli pilots to reach Iran.

קיימתי היום תדרוך לנספחי ביטחון מ-30 מדינות.

בשנתיים וחצי האחרונות העצמנו דרמטית את יחסי הביטחון של ישראל עם מדינות העולם. מערכת הביטחון חתמה מעל 140 הסכמי ביטחון, כולל הסכמי MOU היסטוריים עם מדינות הסכמי אברהם. pic.twitter.com/sUIW6AMsEg

— בני גנץ – Benny Gantz (@gantzbe) December 1, 2022

US Special Envoy to Iran Robert Malley told American media outlet Foreign Policy that US President Joe Biden was prepared for the military option to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons in the event that sanctions and diplomatic methods fail.

At the same time, however, he stressed that the US still hopes that Iran will change its current course and reiterated his statements that Washington no longer sees Iran’s nuclear program as separate from other issues, in reference to the popular protests and the regime’s brutal repression of them.