December 30, 2019 | FDD's Foreign Podicy

Nukes for the Ayatollah

Episode 46

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The acquisition of nuclear weapons has long been a central goal of Iran’s revolutionary Islamist rulers.

President Obama concluded a deal to delay that eventuality. His claim that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action would stop Iran’s supreme leader from achieving this capability was never justified.

President Trump withdrew from the unsigned JCPOA, and has been waging what he calls a “maximum pressure” campaign to prevent the theocrats from achieving their goal. They’ve not given up yet – nor have they agreed to new negotiations.

Joining Foreign Podicy host and FDD president Cliff May to discuss the current state of nuclear play are Andrea Stricker, a research fellow at FDD and an established expert on nuclear weapons proliferation and illicit procurement networks; and Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at FDD where he focuses on Iranian security and political issues.

A picture taken on November 10, 2019 shows workers on the construction site at Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant. (Getty Images)
An Iranian missile stands on display in front of a large portrait of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran. (Getty Images)

Issues:

International Organizations Iran Iran Global Threat Network Iran Missiles Iran Nuclear Iran Sanctions Military and Political Power Sanctions and Illicit Finance U.S. Defense Policy and Strategy