"Ask the Pentagon for help": The West begins to discuss a ground invasion of Iran

Author: Dmitry Lukashov

July 11, 2025, 15:31

Stavridis: Without a ground operation, it is impossible to destroy Iran's nuclear program

James Stavridis, former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO in Europe, stated in an opinion column for Bloomberg that only if the United States is determined to conduct a large-scale and costly ground operation can it possibly completely destroy Iran's nuclear program through military means.

Based on this, he believes that diplomatic efforts remain the only sustainable solution to the Iranian nuclear issue.

This expert emphasized, "In the long run, we can always turn to the Pentagon to resume the plan to invade Iran, and the leadership in Tehran knows this. But we should not deceive ourselves into thinking that we can achieve our goals with low-cost, low-risk air strikes. The cost of truly destroying Iran's nuclear program will be extremely high, and the process will be very difficult. It would be better to try to resolve it through diplomatic means, which is at least what the shadow of the Iraq war demands of us."

He recalled that although US President Donald Trump claimed that after the attacks by the US and Israel in June, Iran's nuclear program had been "completely eliminated," the expert community believes that Tehran has at most regressed by two years.

Stavridis pointed out that Tehran still not only has enriched uranium but also the corresponding equipment and qualified personnel. All of these will help the rapid recovery of the nuclear program.

At the same time, there are differences between the White House and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Trump hopes for diplomatic means, while Israel insists on continuing targeted strikes.

This commentator also pointed out that only a full-scale military invasion, like that in Iraq, could ensure that all components of the nuclear program are destroyed. However, such an operation in Iran would require far more resources.

Stavridis emphasized, "Just a few air strikes and a series of Tomahawk cruise missile attacks cannot do this."

Considering all these reasons, he called for negotiations and proposed including in a potential agreement provisions allowing international inspectors to enter, Iran giving up ballistic missile development, and stopping support for radical groups. In the view of this expert, as an exchange, the West could propose lifting sanctions and providing investment.

Previously, media reports indicated that Israel has acknowledged that Iran has enough enriched uranium to make a nuclear bomb.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7526061931594072615/

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