U.S. Military Prepares for Potential Conflict in Iran
U.S. Marines and paratroopers poised for deployment to Iran are currently undergoing CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear) safety training at bases in Europe and on ships heading to the Middle East.
Recently, it was reported that paratrooper units from the 82nd Airborne Division, recently transported from the U.S. to Europe in anticipation of an Iran mission, have been equipped with “detection systems, gas masks, and protective ‘mop’ coveralls.”
MOPP (Mission Oriented Protective Posture) suits are specialized protective gear for soldiers. The military issues MOPP alerts at various levels, which dictate the amount of protective equipment required based on the severity of expected hazards.
According to Jonathan Hackett, a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, currently on the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli, is “conducting CBRN training on deck as we speak.” The Tripoli is a relatively small aircraft carrier that transports Marines and their equipment to conflict areas.
“We could scale up the CBRN force, but traditionally Marines train with CBRN equipment. If someone yells ‘gas, gas, gas,’ it would take approximately 15 seconds for them to don a mask and mop,” he noted.
Military experts have identified several potential threat scenarios related to Iran, such as possible damage to its Bushehr nuclear power plant, its stock of weapons-grade uranium, or accidental access to a bunker containing chemical weapons from the Iran-Iraq war. The worst-case scenario could involve a desperate Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) attempting to transport chemical or biological weaponry.
Additionally, Iran has assisted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in developing chemical weapons, raising concerns that Iran may have regained some of Assad’s inventory. Some experts speculate that these weapons may still be in a base somewhere, making it less likely they have fully moved to Iraq or Iran.
Even though Iran has a history of researching biological weaponry during the Iran-Iraq war, it signed the Biological Weapons Convention in 1973. This agreement predates the Islamic Republic regime by six years.
Reports indicate Iran has an ongoing interest in the development of anthrax and other biological agents, with much of the research reportedly taking place in underground labs in Syria during Assad’s reign. In fact, in 2019, the U.S. State Department cautioned that Iran was still engaged in “research and development of biological agents and toxins for offensive purposes.”
Moreover, in 2025, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) indicated that Iran “very likely aims to continue research and development of chemical and biological weapons for offensive purposes.”
Research into chemical and biological weapons can be particularly insidious, often conducted under the guise of “dual-use” technology. This can overlap into non-hazardous research fields like industrial chemicals or pharmaceuticals. ODNI highlighted that chemical and biological payloads are considerably easier to incorporate into ballistic missiles compared to nuclear warheads.
Hamis de Breton-Gordon, a chemical warfare expert, emphasized, “The United States and the world must draw a clear line against Iran’s use of weapons of mass destruction, regardless of how desperate the regime becomes.”
He further commented, “President Trump needs some sort of red line, and that’s the most effective method to deter the use of these weapons. My concern is, if the Iranians find themselves cornered, what might they resort to? This has been a point of contemplation since the Iran-Iraq war.”
