A new report from a bipartisan research group says Iran is closer to becoming a nuclear power than most of the world realizes.
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) argues that Iran could have a nuclear bomb before the presidential elections and has called for U.S. troops to be sent to the region immediately to counter such an eventuality.
FDD is Strategic planning, It lays out 24 specific proposals to “deter Iran from its rush toward a nuclear bomb” and urges the Biden administration to quickly turn the tide on Iran's nuclear capabilities.
“If the Biden-Harris administration does not take strong steps now to halt and halt this progress, Iran could complete a primitive nuclear bomb before the next U.S. president takes office,” said Ord Kitley, a co-author of the plan.
According to the FDD report, it may be impossible for Western countries to know that Iran is in the final stages of developing a nuclear bomb, because much of the work is done in secret underground facilities. (Fox News Digital – Hannah Grossman)
The report called on the Biden administration to declassify all intelligence assessments related to Iran's nuclear program in order to increase domestic and international pressure to deter Iran.
He also called for sending U.S. troops on the ground “at least temporarily” to send a message that the United States is prepared to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon if necessary.
The group warned that while most U.S. officials are overseeing Iran's ability to enrich uranium to 90 percent, the Iranian regime is taking covert steps toward developing a nuclear weapon, including taking steps toward building a nuclear explosive device that could be quickly assembled into a nuclear bomb.
“The company is also working on other advancements that will make its sprint to ultimately cross that line faster and much harder to block,” Kitley said.
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On July 19, Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that it would take “one to two weeks” to produce enough weapons-grade uranium for one nuclear weapon.
“I think Americans should be very concerned because Iran is a brutal, bloodthirsty regime and it's now on the cusp of acquiring the most powerful weapons in the world.”
The report said it may be impossible for Western countries to know that Iran is in the final stages of developing a nuclear bomb because much of the work is done in secret underground facilities.
The report called on the Biden administration to declassify all intelligence assessments related to Iran's nuclear program in order to increase domestic and international pressure to deter Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's Iran. (Iranian Supreme Leader's Press Office/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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In addition to sending ground troops, the FDD calls on Biden to increase joint military exercises with regional partners, lift the U.S. hold on 2,000-pound MK-84 bombs to Israel, and remove obstacles to the delivery of aircraft and ammunition to Israel.
The group also called on the top Republican and Democratic candidates, as well as Biden, to demonstrate their commitment to using force to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
“Biden's strongest statements on this issue were actually weaker than Obama's strongest statements on the same subject,” Kitley said.
A replica of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Iran. (Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images)
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“The Administration continues to say that military options are on the table. But suggesting that military options are on the table is not the same as saying that option will be used if necessary. Additionally, the Administration is speaking on the basis of a commitment that Iran has never possessed a nuclear weapon, which obscures the scope of undesirable outcomes.”
The FDD said the US needs to “significantly increase” its use of sanctions and work with countries such as the UK, France and Germany to impose them within the UN.
