Joe Biden is opposing a European plan to rebuke Iran for advances in its nuclear programme as Washington wants to avoid an escalation of tensions ahead of the US presidential election, diplomats involved in discussions have claimed.
The Biden administration is said to be arguing against an effort by Britain and France to censure Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency's member state board in early June, they added. While US officials deny lobbying against a resolution, the diplomats say the administration is pressing other countries to abstain in a censure vote, which is what Washington will do.
Western officials have become concerned about Iran's nuclear activities as according to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) data, the country has enough highly enriched fissile material for three nuclear weapons. While US officials fear Iran could be more volatile as it seeks to elect a new leader after the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash this month, the Biden administration has long said it is seeking a diplomatic solution.
READ MORE: President Raisi's crash 'caused by three factors', expert says as Iranians celebrate with fireworks
The plan is being pushed forward by Britain and France (Luca Boffa / No 10 Downing Street)But European diplomats have reportedly become frustrated as they feel like the US is trying to undermine their approach as they seek to take action against Iran, according to The Wall Street Journal. However, this was denied by a US official who said Washington is "tightly coordinated" with its European partners ahead of the IAEA board meeting next month.
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The official said the US is "increasing pressure on Iran through sanctions and international isolation" and noted that "any speculation about decisions is premature." Another official told the WSJ it is "totally false" that Washington is trying to avoid tensions with Iran before the US election.
The IAEA board last passed a resolution rebuking Iran in November 2022 and since then, US and European officials have warned they would take action if Tehran did not rein in its nuclear advances and step up cooperation with the agency. Tensions have reportedly risen as some European countries, particularly France and Britain, are concerned that Washington lacks a strategy for dealing with Iran's nuclear advances.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei taking part in a memorial ceremony for the late Iranian president Ibrahim Raisi in Tehran (KHAMENEI.IR/AFP via Getty Images)
Khamenei waving to the crowd during a ceremony attended by Iranian clerics in July 2019 (AFP/Getty Images)On their part, US officials argue that Europe could do more to increase pressure on Tehran, for example cutting off Iranian banks working on the continent and listing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terror group. One of the strategies of the US is to prepare a comprehensive report seeking out everything it knows about Iran's failure to cooperate, but European officials claim the report would be presented after the US elections in November.
In the West, there are growing fears Iran could seek to become a nuclear-weapon state and at the end of April, the IAEA boss warned the country was just "weeks away" from having enough enriched uranium to develop a nuclear bomb. Director General Rafael Grossi revealed Iran's nuclear activities were "raising eyebrows" at IAEA and said they are "weeks rather than months" away from being able to produce a nuclear bomb.
He admitted: "That does not mean that Iran has or would have a nuclear weapon in that space of time." Mr Grossi said uranium enrichment at near weapons-grade levels is a cause for alarm. "A functional nuclear warhead requires many other things independently from the production of the fissile material", he added. He also said Iran's objectives are "a matter of speculation."
Last month, an expert told The Mirror that the risk of terror attacks taking place in the UK could be heightened if the conflict between Israel and Iran spirals out of control. Dr Alan Mendoza, from the Henry Jackson national security think tank, said Iran's unprecedented strikes on Israel in April could have major ramifications for the rest of the world if hostilities continue to escalate.
The barrage of over 300 drones and ballistic missiles - which were largely repelled by Israel's defence systems and allies - marked the first time Iran has ever launched a direct military assault on the state. It was launched in response to Israel's bombing of an Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, which killed several members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Hundreds of thousands of people gather in Revolution Square and surrounding roads to attend the funeral ceremony for the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (Anadolu via Getty Images)The Iranian regime said late on Saturday that its action under "Operation Honest Promise" had been completed after achieving all objectives - but things may be far from over if the two sides descend into "tit-for-tat" missile fire, Dr Mendoza has warned. Describing the "worst case scenario" that could play out after the attack, he said: "The danger point is that they could accidentally, if you like, stumble into a war because reprisals get more and more extreme.
"You would then end up with a state of 'proper' war between the two - arguably, they are in a state of war already, as you can't attack someone's land like Iran just did and not end up in a state of war. The actual implications will be seen if it keeps going, and the attacks become larger and larger."
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