Experts predict that Iran could declare itself a nuclear power by the end of the year.

There is a possibility that Iran could declare itself a nuclear power this year due to the uncertainty in the United States' political future with a closely contested presidential election, according to military experts who spoke to Planet Chronicle Digital.

James Carafano, vice president of foreign and defense policy studies for The Heritage Foundation, stated that he believes it is a viable option for the Iranians to take action now because they know that Biden will not respond.

If Trump wins, the Israelis will be bogged down for months before he comes to power, and by then they will have established nuclear power, leaving uncertainty about what will happen.

"He won't initiate a global conflict, correct?" Carafano remarked. "He won't commence hostilities against Iran on his first day in office. That's not going to happen, and they're aware of it."

The Biden administration has consistently cautioned that Iran is close to acquiring a nuclear weapon, with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stating in July that Iran is "now probably one or two weeks away" from achieving "breakout capacity of producing fissile material for a nuclear weapon."

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) collapsed due to Iran's accelerated development, according to Blinken. He emphasized that at the time, the U.S. had not seen any evidence to suggest Iran already had a nuclear weapon, as reported by Barron's.

The US State Department spokesperson stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that their commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remains unwavering, and they are prepared to utilize all available national power to achieve this goal.

The uncertainty of the U.S. presidential election, particularly President Biden's lame-duck status after deciding not to seek a second term, has provided Iran with a crucial opportunity.

Carafano stated that it is irrelevant whether one has the capability to deploy a nuclear weapon or not. People will simply react with fear, and the declaration of being a nuclear power will only escalate the situation. It becomes even more dangerous if one possesses nuclear weapons and people are aware of their ability to defend themselves.

"Becoming a nuclear state gives the perception of having a forcefield, like the Starship Enterprise," Carafano stated. "Considering the timing, are the Israelis planning to attack? They are currently occupied. What will Biden do? Biden won't act until after the election, and if Trump wins, it will take several months for him to take office."

Lt. Gen. Charles Moore of the U.S. Air Force concurred with Carafano's evaluation, stating it as a "plausible scenario." However, he emphasized that the declaration of nuclear capabilities does not necessarily mean the ability to effectively utilize and deploy a nuclear weapon.

Moore stated that it is not unreasonable to believe that if Iran makes a declaration and completes the final steps to test a weapon and deliver it, Israel and/or the United States may take action to prevent it.

Carafano acknowledged that in the long run, possessing nuclear weapons serves only as a deterrent against other nuclear weapons. He cited the Sept. 11 terrorist attack and Russia's recent invasion of Ukraine as examples, with Ukraine pushing back against Moscow and even invading Russian territory this month.

"Nuclear weapons have limited utility, primarily to deter nuclear conflict with another nuclear power. However, if conventional warfare cannot be won, starting a nuclear war is not an option. The Iranians cannot use nuclear weapons as a "get out of jail free card." Five seconds after Iran becomes a declared nuclear power, other countries such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt will also seek to become nuclear powers."

According to Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, nuclear incrementalism has been replaced by significant nuclear advances by Khamenei during Biden's presidency. Taleblu speculated that Tehran may want to secure these gains if Trump returns to office.

"Before being detected in 2002, Iran aimed to achieve a nuclear fait accompli through a crash program that aimed to produce a few nuclear weapons, hoping to gain both status and security," Taleblu stated.

"Politically, weaponization is a choice but involves multiple technical procedures. This decision can be influenced by Western policy, positively or negatively."