US faces potential military action against Iran if nuclear talks fail, warns former envoy

Richard Nephew, former Deputy Special Envoy for Iran at the U.S. Department of State, has warned that the United States may soon be compelled to engage in military action against Iran if diplomatic efforts to resolve Tehran’s nuclear program continue to fail.

In a recent article for Foreign Affairs magazine, Nephew argued that the United States must make a "final, good-faith attempt" to negotiate an end to Iran’s nuclear program, particularly as the new administration under President Donald Trump takes office. However, Nephew highlighted that Washington must prepare for the possibility that diplomacy may not succeed, Caliber.Az reports.

"Given the risks of military action, the United States must make a final, good-faith attempt to negotiate a halt to Tehran’s nuclear program early in the Trump administration," Nephew wrote. "But unless it is prepared to live in the world that Iranian nuclear weapons would create, it may have little choice but to attack Iran—and soon."

Nephew’s statement underscores the high-stakes nature of the ongoing nuclear negotiations with Tehran, with the U.S. potentially facing a stark choice between accepting Iran’s nuclear capabilities or resorting to force.

The article emphasizes the need for Washington to formulate military strategies while still pursuing diplomatic efforts. "Prudence demands that Washington both plot out military action now and ensure that Iran understands that this threat is real, even as it tries the diplomatic path once more," Nephew added.

As the Trump administration prepares to take office, the world remains focused on whether the United States and Iran can reach an agreement on the nuclear issue, or if military action will become an inevitable course of action.

By Vugar Khalilov