WASHINGTON, Jan 5: Joe Biden reportedly discussed plans to strike Iran's nuclear sites in the event Tehran moved closer to building a nuclear bomb before Donald Trump's inauguration on Jan 20.
The US president, who has just weeks left in office, was presented with a range of scenarios by Jake Sullivan, the White House's national security adviser, in secret talks which took place last month, US officials told Axios.
The purpose of the meeting was not for Mr Biden to reach a definitive decision but rather to engage in "prudent scenario planning," one of the sources said.
It comes after Mr Sullivan said last month he had briefed Mr Trump on the "risk" of Tehran obtaining nuclear weapons.
Mr Biden is said to have engaged in discussions about how the US should respond if Iran took specific steps towards building a nuclear bomb before Jan 20, including by enriching uranium to 90 per cent purity.
The president reportedly asked whether Iran had taken any such steps that would justify an urgent military response just weeks before Mr Trump took office and which would risk handing over a fresh conflict for him to deal with.
Mr Biden did not reach a definitive conclusion and there are no active discussions inside the White House about taking military action.
Mr Trump has told Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, in recent calls that he is concerned about Iran achieving nuclear capability, The Wall Street Journal reported. —REUTERS
