President Biden’s approach to Iran has brought the country closer to developing a nuclear weapon. The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog recently reported that Iran has tripled its production rate of near-weapons-grade nuclear fuel. They now have enough stockpile to potentially produce one nuclear bomb in a week or six bombs in a month. Former UN weapons inspector David Albright believes that Tehran could build a few crude weapons in just six months.
The situation escalated due to Biden’s decision to restore the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal. This deal offered Tehran billions of dollars in exchange for delaying its nuclear breakout by a few years. However, every major escalation in Iran’s nuclear program occurred in 2021, including increasing uranium enrichment levels, producing uranium metal, denying UN inspectors access to facilities, and expanding construction of an underground nuclear facility. Despite these escalations, the Biden administration continued to offer sanctions relief to Iran.
Biden’s commitment to appeasement as the only viable path to containing Iran’s threats is concerning. The administration has not responded to the escalating situation with any significant actions. There has been no call for an emergency board meeting to censure Iran or refer its file to the UN Security Council. Additionally, there has been no initiative to restore international restrictions on Iran or address the threat of military force against its nuclear sites.
Congress has a duty to intervene and address the situation. The House has already passed bills to shut down funding for Iran, crack down on Chinese imports of Iranian oil, and impose sanctions on Iran’s leaders for their abuse of women. Senate Republicans should pressure Senate leader Chuck Schumer to vote on these measures. Members of both parties should also push the White House to ensure that the military option remains credible and ready.
It is clear that Biden’s appeasement strategy has failed, and immediate action is necessary to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran.
