By Simon Machine gun (JO:)
(Reuters) -The Biden administration is concerned that a weakened Iran could build a nuclear weapon, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday, adding that he was briefing President-elect Donald Trump’s team about the risk.
Iran has suffered setbacks to its regional influence after Israel’s attacks on its allies, Palestinian Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, followed by the fall of Iran-aligned Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.
Israeli attacks on Iranian facilities, including missile factories and air defenses, have reduced Tehran’s conventional military capabilities, Sullivan told CNN.
“It’s no wonder there are voices (in Iran) saying, ‘Hey, maybe we need to pursue a nuclear weapon right now… Maybe we need to review our nuclear doctrine,'” Sullivan said.
Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful, but it has expanded uranium enrichment since Trump, in his 2017-2021 presidential term, withdrew from a deal between Tehran and world powers that imposed restrictions on Iran’s nuclear activity through exchange for sanctions relief.
Sullivan said there was a risk that Iran would abandon its promise not to build nuclear weapons.
“It’s a risk that we’re trying to be vigilant about now. It’s a risk that I’m personally briefing the incoming team about,” Sullivan said, adding that he had also consulted with US ally Israel.
Trump, who takes office on January 20, could return to his hardline policy on Iran by intensifying sanctions on the Iranian oil industry.
Sullivan said Trump would have the opportunity to engage in diplomatic relations with Tehran, given Iran’s “weakened status.”
“Maybe he can bounce back this time, with the situation Iran is in, and actually get a nuclear deal done that curbs Iran’s long-term nuclear ambitions,” he said.