Strike results on Iranian nuclear facilities have ignited an open political-media confrontation across the United States. While American media outlets – alongside Democratic Party officials – question the extent of damage inflicted, the current administration maintains that Iran's nuclear program has been "destroyed."

Beyond America's domestic political warfare and presidential credibility concerns, two key motivations drive the White House determination to establish the narrative that Iran's nuclear capabilities were completely eliminated. The first serves as strategic positioning for future negotiations with Iran, essentially declaring that since Iran cannot currently enrich uranium, they shouldn't expect authorization for such activities under any new agreement. The second motivation, potentially more troubling, reflects White House reluctance to continue addressing this complex issue.

What does ground reality reveal? The sobering premise for this analysis must acknowledge that definitive conclusions remain premature, and generally speaking – these matters involve far more classified than public information. However, research institute satellite imagery analysis enables identification of substantial damage across core elements of Iran's nuclear infrastructure including the expansive enrichment industry covering Natanz and Fordo facilities plus centrifuge manufacturing capabilities; the scientists, installations and knowledge repositories comprising the "weapons group"; and Isfahan's conversion and processing installations, representing crucial bottlenecks in the nuclear fuel cycle. Nevertheless, the whereabouts of over 400 kg of 60%-enriched uranium – quantities theoretically sufficient for ten nuclear weapons following additional enrichment – remains unknown.

"Months until resumed production"

Rafael Grossi, International Atomic Energy Agency director-general, stated during this week's interview that Iran could "within several months" restart enriched uranium production. Anyone dismayed by this assessment overlooks the massive scope of Iran's pre-strike nuclear infrastructure encompassing complete production chain mastery from uranium mining through multi-stage enrichment processes – plus advancement in explosive device development. This represents extensive industrial capacity and profound, autonomous expertise cultivated across multiple decades.

The Institute for Science and International Security, headed by Iranian nuclear expert David Albright, released comprehensive post-conflict damage assessments based on satellite imagery analysis. This report, consistent with IAEA findings and substantially supporting Israeli intelligence assessments, demonstrates significant infrastructure damage.

At Natanz, housing approximately 18,000 centrifuges and serving as Iran's enrichment headquarters, widespread destruction is evident. Surface structures sustained damage during Israel's initial attacks, including facilities producing 60%-grade highly enriched uranium. The IAEA similarly concluded that centrifuges within underground enrichment chambers suffered damage or destruction from electrical grid disruption. Subsequent American bombardments reportedly struck these underground chambers directly.

Concerning Fordo, the heavily fortified installation featuring roughly 2,700 centrifuges that dominated headlines since hostilities commenced, the Institute for Science and International Security concludes the "facility likely sustained severe damage or destruction," though American media suggests more limited impact. Recent satellite photography reveals intensive Iranian engineering operations around blast craters, including heavy machinery and material transport equipment, apparently attempting to penetrate the underground complex for damage assessment purposes.

Isfahan's uranium processing facilities, constituting critical "chokepoints" between civilian and weapons programs, saw destruction of metallic uranium production buildings – essential links converting enriched gas into bomb cores. Infrastructure converting processed uranium ("yellowcake") into gas supplied to centrifuges also sustained damage. The IAEA confirmed "extensive destruction," including storage buildings previously housing 20% and 60%-enriched uranium, though material quantities present during bombardment remain unclear.

Regarding the weapons development group, representing Iran's most classified nuclear activities, Israeli operations eliminated over 14 nuclear scientists directly engaged in this work. Several individuals, including Freidoun Abbasi and Mohammad Tehranji, appeared on Tehran memorial billboards recently and received state funeral honors alongside regime leadership.

"They preserved this capability as organizational infrastructure for two decades," explains Avner Vilan, specialist in Iran's nuclear program, "but claiming no capable 30-year-old exists in Iran who could replicate this work? I'm certain such individuals exist." Furthermore, Villen expresses concern, stating he "wouldn't be surprised if another weapons group we never identified was operating parallel programs unknown to us."

Protecting gains

The critical question involves uranium stockpiles enriched to 60% – exceeding 400 kg, which Iran announced on the conflict's opening day they had secured through "protective measures." American officials claim this material lies "buried beneath debris" or "wasn't targeted during strikes." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alluded to "compelling intelligence" regarding stockpile locations, while IDF officials decline to deny possessing such information.

Iran's industrial nuclear program undoubtedly sustained severe damage, potentially requiring years for reconstruction as Washington and Jerusalem officials describe. However, Iran's nuclear weapons potential doesn't depend exclusively on large-scale industrial infrastructure but could emerge from smaller enrichment capabilities, metallic conversion facilities, and previous advancement – possibly concealed – in explosive device engineering.

"They observe what befell Kim Jong Un and Muammar Qaddafi's fate," Vilan explains regarding Iran's renewed nuclear motivation. "Unquestionably, Iran currently possesses extremely strong incentives for acquiring nuclear weapons and will accept significantly greater risks pursuing this objective." According to his analysis, recent strikes eliminated the regime's dual defensive layers – proxy forces and missile arsenals – "essentially leaving only nuclear capabilities as their insurance policy."

Vilan cautions about the primary threat, warning that "unless we force the regime into submission, their likelihood of developing nuclear weapons increased rather than decreased following these strikes." Essentially, Israel may confront another critical juncture resembling pre-strike circumstances. This doesn't invalidate the operation's necessity or necessarily diminish its accomplishments, but indicates Israel now faces requirements to consolidate its strategic objectives.

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Iran's enrichment of uranium continues based on a framework established by the country's parliament, nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami said on Sunday when asked about reports regarding Tehran slowing down its 60% enrichment.

"Our nuclear enrichment continues based on the strategic framework law," Eslami said, referring to a related legislation.

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Video: Reuters / Iran accuses US Navy of defending fuel smuggling in Gulf incident

Earlier in August, the Wall Street Journal reported that Iran had significantly slowed the pace at which it was accumulating near-weapons-grade enriched uranium and diluted some of its stockpile, moves that could help ease tensions with the US and revive broader talks over Iran's nuclear work.

In 2020, Iran's hardline parliament passed a law requiring the government to take measures such as stepping up uranium enrichment beyond the limit set under Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal if other parties did not fully comply with the deal.

After Washington ditched the deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions, Tehran began to violate the nuclear curbs set out in the pact.

Iran, which under the nuclear agreement could only enrich uranium to 3.67%, started enriching it to 60% purity in 2021, a move bringing the fissile material closer to levels suitable for developing a bomb. Tehran has repeatedly denied seeking a nuclear bomb.

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With Israel consumed by an intense judicial reform debate, Iran is expanding its nuclear weapons program. The Biden administration continues to promote unofficial understandings with Tehran based on keeping Iranian enrichment at 60% in exchange for the release of billions of dollars. The goal: Kick the Iranian nuclear issue down the road until after the 2024 elections. The proper name for such understandings, which in many ways are far worse than the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal, should be "false quiet for money", and not "freeze for freeze".

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The idea behind these understandings is to freeze Iran's nuclear progress in enriching uranium to 60%, which is very close to what is required technically for Tehran to reach 93%, or weapons-grade enrichment. This gives the mullahs, for the first time, a win-win situation: a de facto green light to 60% enrichment together with massive sanctions relief. Presenting it as understandings rather than an agreement is an attempt by the Biden administration to avoid review by Congress, where it will face fierce opposition.

Video: Iranian activity in Gulf / Reuters

Israel is better off with an Iranian push to 90% without billions of dollars flowing to the regime and without the illusion that holding Tehran at 60% enrichment is meaningful. No real technical variance exists between 90% and 60% enrichment; the difference in breakout time to a bomb's worth of weapons-grade enrichment is a matter of days or a few weeks. The most dangerous technical threshold has already occurred when the Biden administration did not respond to Iran's enrichment to 20%, which is about 70% of the effort necessary to reach weapons-grade uranium.

For ten months after the US killed Qassem Soleimani, the regime stopped its nuclear expansion. Then it went all out after Biden's election and the end of maximum pressure. When the regime feels American steel, it backs down. When it feels American mush, it pushes forward.

It is still not clear where the Biden administration has set any red lines for action to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Since President Biden won the election in November 2020 on a promise to abandon the maximum pressure campaign of his predecessor, Tehran massively expanded its nuclear program. Iranian nuclear scientists have used advanced centrifuges to enrich uranium to 20%, 60% and briefly to almost 84%; produced uranium metal for use in developing nuclear weapons; and repeatedly stonewalled UN weapons inspectors.

After almost three years of a failed Iran policy of maximum concessions, perhaps the Biden administration finally has communicated to Tehran that they will act forcefully at 90%. But "forcefully" must mean more than the snapback of UN sanctions, and the enforcement of US sanctions, which should have occurred at prior levels of Iranian nuclear expansion. It must involve the credible threat that President Biden will use American military power to stop the development of Iranian nuclear weapons.

Even if Iran doesn't believe that the Americans will use military force, Tehran is not likely to make the mistake of rushing to 90%. Instead, if past is prologue, Tehran will follow its decades-long strategy of forcing the West to accept increasing levels of nuclear weapons expansion. It will remain at the 60% line while building out its nuclear infrastructure and extracting maximum financial concessions. The most alarming is the work done at Natanz where Tehran is building out a hardened site that reportedly will go over 100 meters (328 ft.) underground and be ready in about two or three years to be used for future high levels of enrichment, protected from outside attack. According to the understandings, Tehran will continue the development and production of advanced centrifuges, ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, and crucial capabilities related to nuclear weapons systems.

We are sleepwalking into the Iranian trap. With Iran remaining below the 90% line, and the Biden administration pursuing a false quiet at a high price, Tehran is left to pursue nuclear weapons on all fronts. Israel needs to fight this Iranian strategy while Congress must immediately review every step the Biden administration takes.

Brig. Gen. (res.) Prof. Jacob Nagel is a senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD) and a professor at the Technion. He served as national security advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the acting head of the National Security Council.

Mark Dubowitz is the FDD's chief executive and an expert on Iran's nuclear program and sanctions. In 2019, he was sanctioned by Iran.

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Iran said Wednesday it gave new details to the United Nations about two sites near Tehran that inspectors say bore traces of manmade uranium, part of a wider probe as tensions remain high over the Islamic Republic's advancing program.

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The comments by Mohammad Eslami, the head of Iran's civilian nuclear program, come as Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers remains in tatters and as Tehran enriches uranium closer than ever to weapons-grade levels. Resolving questions from the International Atomic Energy Agency could see Iran avoid further censure as an October deadline approaches that would lift international restrictions on its ballistic missile program as well.

Video: Defense Minister Yoav Gallant speaking on Iran / Nicole Laskavi / Ministry of Defense

Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Eslami said Iran had sent "detailed answers" to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

"If those answers are not accepted and there are any ambiguities or doubts, as we have always said, we will clarify and revise the documents," Eslami said in comments carried by state television. "We are now in that phase now, and we have given the IAEA more evidence and documents and will give more so that it can move past this issue."

The Vienna-based IAEA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. However, Eslami's comments mark a change in tone as Iran has limited inspections, held surveillance footage, and taken years to respond to the IAEA after then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the nuclear deal in 2018.

Eslami did not name the sites, though the IAEA has identified them as Turquzabad and Varamin just outside of Tehran. At Varamin, the IAEA in a March report said that inspectors believe Iran used the site from 1999 until 2003 as a pilot project to process uranium ore and convert it into a gas form, which then can be enriched through spinning in a centrifuge. The IAEA said buildings at the site had been demolished in 2004.

Tehran insists its program is peaceful, though the West and the IAEA say Iran had an organized military nuclear program until 2003.

Turquzabad is where the IAEA believes Iran took some of the material at Varamin amid the demolition, though it said that alone cannot "explain the presence of the multiple types of isotopically altered particles" found there.

In 2018, the site became known publicly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed it at the United Nations and called it a clandestine nuclear warehouse hidden at a rug-cleaning plant. Iran denied that, though IAEA inspectors later found the manmade uranium particles there.

The IAEA said in May it no longer had questions about a third questioned site called Marivan near Abadeh in southern Iran. In recent months, Iran has pledged to restore cameras and other monitoring equipment at its nuclear sites. That's as Iran's economy has cratered under international sanctions over its program.

Meanwhile, Iran likely wants to avoid any dispute at the IAEA as U.N. restrictions on Iran's ballistic missile program are scheduled to lift on Oct. 18. Those restrictions call on Iran "not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons."

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Some 2.5 tons of natural uranium stored in a site in war-torn Libya have gone missing, the United Nations nuclear watchdog said Thursday, raising safety and proliferation concerns.

Natural uranium can't immediately be used for energy production or bomb fuel, as the enrichment process typically requires the metal to be converted into a gas, then later spun in centrifuges to reach the levels needed.

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However, each ton of natural uranium obtained by a group with the technological means and resources can be refined to 5.6 kilograms (12 pounds) of weapons-grade material over time, experts say.

In a statement, the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency said its director-general, Rafael Mariano Grossi, informed member states Wednesday about the missing uranium.

On Tuesday, "agency safeguards inspectors found that 10 drums containing approximately 2.5 tons of natural uranium in the form of uranium ore concentrate were not present as previously declared at a location in the state of Libya," the IAEA said. "Further activities will be conducted by the agency to clarify the circumstances of the removal of the nuclear material and its current location."

One such declared site is Sabha, some 410 miles southeast of Libya's capital, Tripoli, in the country's lawless southern reaches of the Sahara Desert. There, Libya under dictator Moammar Qadhafi stored thousands of barrels of "yellowcake uranium" for a once-planned uranium conversion facility that was never built in his decadeslong secret weapons program.

While inspectors removed the last of the enriched uranium from Libya in 2009, the yellowcake remained behind, with the UN in 2013 estimating some 6,400 barrels of it were stored at Sabha. Sabha grew increasingly lawless, with African migrants crossing Libya, saying some had been sold as slaves in the city, the UN reported.

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In recent years, Sabha largely has been under the control of the self-styled Libyan National Army, headed by Khalifa Hifter. The general, who is widely believed to have worked with the CIA during his time in exile during Qadhafi's era, has been battling for control of Libya against a Tripoli-based government.

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The United States, Britain, Germany and France have submitted to the international nuclear watchdog's board a draft resolution criticizing Iran for not fully answering the body's questions on uranium traces at undeclared sites, a move that is likely to anger Iran.

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Submitting the text, seen by Reuters and little changed from a draft circulated last week, means it will be debated and voted on at this week's quarterly meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation Board of Governors.

Several diplomats said the resolution was likely to pass easily despite warnings by Iran of retaliation and consequences that could further undermine already stalled talks on rescuing the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Iran's ally Russia opposes such a resolution.

The draft resolution text that was submitted said the board "expresses profound concern that the safeguards issues related to these three undeclared locations remain outstanding due to insufficient substantive cooperation by Iran, despite numerous interactions with the agency."

The text, seen by Reuters, also said the board "calls upon Iran to act on an urgent basis to fulfil its legal obligations and, without delay, take up the (IAEA) director general's offer of further engagement to clarify and resolve all outstanding safeguards issues."

Indirect talks between Iran and the United States on reviving the 2015 deal have not been held since March. Their aim is to bring both countries back into full compliance with the deal after a US withdrawal and re-imposition of sanctions in 2018 prompted Iran to breach many of the deal's limits on its nuclear activities.

"Those who push for anti-Iran resolution at IAEA will be responsible for all the consequences," Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Twitter on Sunday in a message about the talks.

Last week, Amirabdollahian said any political action by the United States and its three European allies at the IAEA "will undoubtedly be met with a proportionate, effective and immediate response from Iran."

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European negotiators in talks to salvage Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers presented no "new practical initiatives" and were not constructive in the last round that paused on Dec. 17, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Thursday.

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The negotiations are slated to resume on Dec. 27, Russia and the European Union's foreign service said earlier on Thursday, a day after the US national security adviser warned the troubled talks with Iran could be exhausted within weeks.

"We do not see the position of some European countries as constructive, specifically that of France," Iranian state media quoted Amirabdollahian as saying.

"When they say they are concerned about the progress of Iran's nuclear program, we say out loud: 'If you want to have your concerns addressed, then all sanctions must be lifted.'"

The talks have made scant progress since they resumed earlier this month after a five-month hiatus following the election of hardline Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

Tehran has sought changes to an outline of a deal that had taken shape in six previous rounds of talks, leaving them largely deadlocked while Western powers warned that time was running out to rein in Iran's fast-advancing nuclear activities.

Senior British, French and German diplomats offered a pessimistic assessment of efforts to revive the deal under which Iran had limited its disputed nuclear program in return for relief from U, European Union and UN economic sanctions.

Amirabdollahian said Iran had "managed to get [our] views orally approved by all parties in the draft that will be discussed next week." He did not elaborate.

Meanwhile, Iranian media on Thursday reported that Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has called for direct negotiations between Iran and the US.

Hussein spoke at a news conference after meeting his Iranian counterpart in Tehran, stressing that heightened tension between Iran and the US – Baghdad's two powerful allies – directly affects his country's stability.

While Iraq remains a pillar of Washington's security policy in the region, Iranian-backed militias wield extensive power in the country.

"Any opening in Tehran-Washington relations will positively impact Iraq's internal situation from political, economic and security perspectives," Hussein said.

"We think it's time for direct talks between Tehran and Washington so that the two countries reach a common understanding not only on the nuclear issue but also on sanctions imposed on Iran," he said.

Hussein also touched on the hasty evacuation and sudden death of Iran's top diplomat in war-torn Yemen, Hassan Irloo, whom Washington has identified as a member of Iran's powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. He said the US cooperated with Saudi Arabia and Iran to transfer Irloo on an Iraqi plane from Yemen to Tehran, where Iranian authorities said he died of COVID-19.

There was no immediate comment from Washington on its reported assistance. Yemen's Houthi rebels had sought permission for his transfer from Saudi Arabia, which maintains an air blockade on Yemen's capital of Sanaa.

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Iran has allowed the International Atomic Energy Agency, to replace its cameras at a centrifuge parts workshop, according to an Iranian media outlet affiliated to Iran's top security body. This was confirmed by three diplomats on Wednesday.

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"Due to legal and security checks on the affected cameras, as well as the IAEA's steps to condemn the act of vandalism against the Tessa complex, Iran has voluntarily authorized the agency to replace the damaged cameras with new ones," Nournews said on Wednesday.

"Iran made it clear from the outset that it would not be allowed to service or replace the cameras until the responsible bodies conducted their security and technical checks on the cameras," Nournews added.

The Tessa workshop in Karaj was the victim of apparent sabotage in June in which one of four IAEA cameras there was destroyed. Iran did not return that camera's "data storage medium" and the IAEA asked Iran in a September report to locate it and explain.

One of the IAEA's four cameras at the workshop in the TESA Karaj complex was destroyed in an apparent sabotage attack in June that Iran has blamed on Israel. Iran then removed the cameras and has not let the IAEA return to replace them, angering the United States and its allies. The diplomats said the details of the agreement were not yet clear.

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Israel on Thursday urged world powers to halt nuclear talks with Iran immediately, citing a UN watchdog's announcement that Tehran has started producing enriched uranium with more advanced centrifuges.

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"Iran is carrying out nuclear blackmail as a negotiating tactic, and this should be answered by the immediate halt to negotiations and the implementation of tough steps by the world powers," Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's office quoted him as saying in a call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Wednesday that Iran had started the process of enriching uranium to up to 20% purity with one cascade, or cluster, of 166 advanced IR-6 machines at its Fordo plant, dug into a mountain.

An Israeli official said Bennett told Blinken of his objections to any lifting of sanctions against Iran, particularly under an interim deal, which would effectively mean "the massive flow of funds to the Iranian regime."

Under the 2015 deal, no uranium enrichment is supposed to be carried out at Fordo at all. Until now Iran had been producing enriched uranium there with IR-1 machines and had enriched with some IR-6s without keeping the product.

Several hours after Israel called on world powers to end the talks in the Austrian capital, Iran's Foreign Ministry hit back.

"As #ViennaTalks advances, Israeli regime shows its true color again, calling for immediate halt of negotiations. Not surprising. Dialogue is always despised by the regime whose genesis is based on war, tension & terror. Delegates in Vienna won't take instruction from Beit Aghion," the ministry spokesperson, Saeed Khatibzadeh, tweeted, referring to the official name for the Prime Minister's Residence rather than mention Israel. 

Iran on Wednesday accused Israel of "trumpeting lies to poison" the Vienna talks on reviving Tehran's 2015 nuclear agreement with major powers, even as the UN nuclear watchdog said Tehran had started producing enriched uranium with more efficient advanced centrifuges at its Fordo plant dug into a mountain.

"Israeli regime whose existence relies on tension is at it again, trumpeting lies to poison Vienna talks,"  Khatibzadeh tweeted without specifying what Israeli comments he meant.

"All parties in the room now face a test of their independence & political will to carry out the job – irrespective of the fake news designed to destroy prospects for success," he added.

Israeli regime whose existence relies on tension is at it again, trumpeting lies to poison Vienna talks.

All parties in the room now face a test of their independence & political will to carry out the job— irrespective of the fake news designed to destroy prospects for success.

— Saeed Khatibzadeh | سعید خطیب‌زاده (@SKhatibzadeh) December 1, 2021

While it was unclear what news reports Khatibzadeh meant, a Tel Aviv-based reporter for US news organization Axios on Monday reported Israel had shared intelligence over the past two weeks with the United States and several European allies suggesting that Iran was taking technical steps to prepare to enrich uranium to 90% purity, the level needed for a nuclear weapon.

The International Atomic Energy Agency's announcement, meanwhile, appeared to at least partially corroborate those intelligence reports and undercut indirect talks between Iran and the United States on bringing both fully back into the battered deal that resumed this week after a five-month break prompted by the election of hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi.

Western negotiators fear Iran is creating facts on the ground to gain leverage in the talks.

On the third day of this round of talks, the IAEA said Iran had started the process of enriching uranium to up to 20% purity with one cascade, or cluster, of 166 advanced IR-6 machines at Fordo. Those machines are far more efficient than the first-generation IR-1.

Underlining how badly eroded the deal is, that pact does not allow Iran to enrich uranium at Fordo at all. Until now the Islamic republic had been producing enriched uranium there with IR-1 machines and had enriched with some IR-6s without keeping the product.

It has 94 IR-6 machines installed in a cascade at Fordo that is not yet operating, the IAEA said in a statement.

A more comprehensive IAEA report circulated to member states and seen by Reuters said that as a result of Iran's move the nuclear watchdog planned to step up inspections at the Fordo Fuel Enrichment Plant that houses the centrifuges, but the details still need to be ironed out.

Iran played down the report as routine despite the fact that the IAEA, which does not explicitly give a reason for such reports, typically issues them only for significant developments such as fresh breaches of the deal's nuclear restrictions.

"The recent report of the IAEA on Iran's nuclear activities, is an ordinary update in line with regular verification in Iran," Iran's permanent mission to the UN organizations in Vienna said on Twitter.

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A day after the negotiations to renew the Iranian nuclear deal restarted in Vienna, Public Security Minister Omer Barlev told Radio 103 on Tuesday that "It's obvious the military option is on the table."

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In a separate interview to Army Radio, Alon Bar, Deputy Director General for Strategic Affairs at the Foreign Ministry, discussed the distance between Israel and the US's stances when it came to the Iran issue, saying, "There are in-depth talks with the Americans, and there is distance between us. I don't think that it's right to stress this distance, especially since the US is an especially important country for us. The right thing for us to do is talk with them directly."

Bar added, "Our influence on the world's powerful nations doesn't start the day the talks do, but with the contact we have had thus far. This influence is, of course, limited, but it exists. There is no choice other than to walk back the Iranian nuclear program. It would be wrong for us to despair and give up on the attempt to prevent Iran from securing enough enriched material [uranium] for a nuclear bomb, because that is definitely part of the military plan."

IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ran Kochav also touched on the relaunched Iranian talks. In an interview to Kan 11 News, Kochav said, "I'm not going to get into diplomatic matters. As I've said in the past, we are prepared for all eventualities and we have stepped up preparedness on the matter. The military and operational questions are our top priority, both in terms of preventing Iran from entrenching itself to the north and preventing it from becoming a [nuclear] threshold state."

After the first round of renewed talks on Monday, it appeared that any progress on the issue of Iran's nuclear program was far off and the two sides seemed to be at an impasse. Work teams are expected to continue meeting this week to discuss technical points, but not the core issues of the dispute.

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