Deep underground in Iran’s Fordow facility, gas centrifuges are likely spinning around the clock, enriching uranium to dangerous levels. Experts warn Iran is fast approaching nuclear weapons capability—a prospect that could materialize within months. The urgency to address this threat cannot be overstated.
Iran’s theocratic regime, led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, faces significant domestic and international crises. Recent setbacks include the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in neighboring Syria, a long-time ally. Assad’s downfall, spurred by Israel’s decisive military action, has further destabilized Tehran’s grip on the region. Beset by uprisings at home and weakened proxies abroad, the Iranian regime appears desperate. Nuclear weapons are viewed as their last hope to maintain power.
The regime has long flouted nuclear agreements. In 2021, Iran began enriching uranium to 60 percent purity, far beyond civilian needs. By 2023, UN inspectors found traces of uranium enriched to 83.7 percent—alarmingly close to the 90 percent threshold required for weapons. Some estimates suggest Iran could have three operational nuclear weapons by 2025.
While Israel has taken bold measures to curb Iran’s ambitions, such as precision strikes on nuclear facilities, it has not yet deployed bunker-busting bombs needed to neutralize deeply buried sites like Fordow. The U.S. and its allies must now decide whether to act decisively or risk an Iranian nuclear arsenal. Former U.S. Ambassador Sam Brownback emphasized the stakes: “It’s now or nuclear.”
Yet, there is hope for an alternative solution: internal regime change driven by Iran’s own people. Since the 2022 killing of Mahsa Amini by morality police, nationwide protests have shaken the regime. These demonstrations have evolved into a broader resistance movement calling for democracy, led by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
The NCRI, with its president-elect Maryam Rajavi, offers a clear democratic alternative. Rajavi’s 10-point plan envisions a non-nuclear Iran, equal rights for women, religious and ethnic freedoms, and the separation of church and state. This vision sharply contrasts with the regime’s oppressive theocracy and has garnered bipartisan support in the U.S. and UK.
Iran’s youth have rejected the Ayatollah’s propaganda, demanding freedom and prosperity. The Revolutionary Guard’s external campaigns, from funding Hezbollah to backing Hamas, have only deepened domestic unrest. The Iranian people are ready for change, and the international community must support their quest for democracy.
As Rajavi told the U.S. Senate, “Such wars are the last resort of dictatorships on the brink of collapse.” The West must recognize that Iran’s path to peace lies not in nuclear deterrence but in empowering its people to dismantle tyranny. By standing behind Iran’s democratic forces, the world can help ensure a future free from the threat of nuclear proliferation.