Iran and America’s Options

It appears that America has run out of pragmatic options against Iran, for every possibility has come to a dead end, or maybe not.

There are two American allegations against Tehran:

First: the Iranian Nuclear Program

Second: The strong Iranian intervention in Lebanon’s domestic issues through the Hezbollah party.

It is noticed that both allegations relate to Israel’s security.

Washington fears the existence of an Iranian technology that catapults Iran to a stage through which they will be able to make atomic bombs (though Iran insists on its peaceful nuclear activity). For Iran to have an atomic bomb means that Israel no longer possesses a nuclear shield in the Middle East region.

Washington is obviously anxious about the double role that Hezbollah occupies. On the one hand, Hezbollah is essential to domestic political remission. On the other hand, Hezbollah serves as a national resistant force against Israel. To restrain the ossifying Iranian power, the Obama administration and its predecessor are exercising two out of its three options: diplomacy and sanctions, while avoiding its last option, war.

The diplomatic options consist of economic incentives offered to Iran for it to cease nuclear enrichment, which is a preliminary stage before creating atomic bombs. Of course, Iran rejected all offers. Then, the United States headed for the UN, where it guaranteed economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran, however, with Iran’s public relations political independence, the sanctions were amorphous.

Now the U.S is seeking a public outcry to slap new sanctions on Iran vis-à-vis Iran’s supply of gas and fuel (Iran depends on importing fuel for covering 40% of its consumption). However, this outcry was vituperated and nullified by Russia and China.

We are left with a military option, where Israel or the U.S can attack Iran alone, or even both. Whatever the parties involved, or the method of attacking is, strategists concur on how this action faces a myriad pitfalls of immense danger. If the sole purpose behind the U.S or Israeli attacks is to quell Iranian nuclear facilities, then it will lead, at best, to a delay in the Iranian nuclear program and not to a complete halt.

Finally, can the Obama administration come up with a fourth option?