Consultation to simulate an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities

The United States and Israel are preparing for a worst-case scenario against Iran. Reuters reported that they are considering a military exercise to simulate an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.

A senior American official told Reuters that the US and Israeli defense ministers will meet in Washington on Thursday, December 9, to discuss a military exercise to simulate an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities and their destruction.

This action is foreseen for a time when diplomatic efforts to curb the nuclear program reach a deadlock.

The US official told Reuters that the meeting between the two countries' defense ministers follows a review conducted on October 25 by US Defense Department officials, in the presence of White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, which discussed a range of military options available to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

The American official, who asked not to be named, declined to provide further details in this regard, saying: "Iran's nuclear program has put us in a difficult situation because this program has advanced to the point where it is no longer conventional."

Reuters reported that the Israeli embassy in Washington and Iran's mission to the United Nations did not respond to requests for comment.

At the beginning of the Vienna negotiations

The meeting between the US and Israeli defense ministers comes as nuclear talks between Iran and the 4+1 resume in Vienna. The US special representative for Iran is planning to join the talks this weekend.

Last week, a senior US official emphasized that the country cannot accept a situation in which Iran accelerates its nuclear program while, on the other hand, slows down its nuclear diplomacy.

Dennis Ross, a former senior US official and Middle East expert, said such exercises by the US and Israel could clearly send a message to Iran that the US and Israel are serious about dealing with Iran's nuclear program.

Ross even suggested that the United States declare its readiness to send 30,000-pound bombs to Israel to attack Iranian underground facilities.

William Burns, director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), said on Monday, December 6, that the agency has no evidence that Iran intends to build nuclear weapons. He said that even if Iran does, it would have a long way to go to achieve nuclear weapons.

Source: DW