The Joe Biden administration is concerned that a weakened Iran could develop nuclear weapons, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Monday, adding that he has briefed President-elect Donald Trump's team on the risk, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
Iran has suffered setbacks in its regional influence following Israel's attacks on its allies, the Palestinian movement "Hamas" and "Hezbollah" in Lebanon, followed the fall of Iran-backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Israeli strikes on Iranian facilities, including missile factories and air defense sites, have reduced Tehran's conventional weapons capabilities, Sullivan told CNN.
"It's no wonder there are voices (in Iran) saying, 'Hey, maybe we should get a nuclear weapon right now... Maybe we should review our nuclear doctrine,'" Sullivan said.
Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful but has expanded uranium enrichment since Trump withdrew from a deal between Tehran and world powers during his previous presidency that imposed limits on Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief, Reuters recalls.
Sullivan said Iran is at risk to back down on his promise not to build nuclear weapons.
"That's a risk that we're trying to be vigilant about right now. That's a risk that I'm personally briefing the incoming team about."
Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, could return to his hardline policy on Iran by tightening sanctions on Iran's oil industry, Reuters noted.
Sullivan said Trump would have the opportunity to pursue diplomacy with Tehran, given Iran's "weakened state."
"Maybe this time he can get it right, given the situation that Iran is in, and actually get a nuclear deal that limits Iran's nuclear ambitions in the long term," he said.