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Iran spent the two months since signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the United States to prepare for ramped-up fighting rather than diplomacy, The Wall Street Journal reported on August 17.
According to the report, which cites Iranian and Arab officials, the Islamic Republic believed the U.S. was also only buying time for a future attack. Therefore, over the past 60 days Iran reportedly ramped up production of missiles and drones and tapped hardline figures for key positions. The 60-day period inked in the MOU expires today.
Arab intelligence officials who spoke to The Journal pointed to a “strategic shift” among Iranian leadership to “get their forces ready to widen the war.”
The report said Iran is mainly focused on escalating against Gulf states, with options including attacks on undersea internet cables, attempts to incite unrest and potentially ground operations against Kuwait.
In the days leading to the end of the 60-day period, the U.S. has also signaled its intention to escalate against the Islamic Republic.
President Donald Trump vowed last week that “pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,” while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned of economic measures against the Islamic Republic “like have never been seen.”
The Trump administration is also repositioning naval assets, moving the USS George Washington aircraft carrier from the Pacific to relieve the long-deployed USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, and maintaining its naval blockade of Iranian ports.
The most worrying sign came, however, from former U.S. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who claimed on August 17 that high-level strategy meetings are underway to discuss the potential use of nuclear weapons against Iran.
“I’m not speculating, I know. And it’s pure evil,” Greene wrote on X.
Greene alleged that the administration was considering lowering the threshold for nuclear weapons use despite Trump’s repeated claims of victory in the war against the Islamic Republic and assertions that Washington has control over the Strait of Hormuz.
She accused the administration of disregarding internal intelligence assessments that suggested Iran was not close to developing a nuclear weapon and instead favoring Israeli claims.
Greene argued that the resulting war had caused widespread civilian suffering and led to Iranian control over regional energy corridors.
She also warned that such an escalation could trigger a global “nuclear holocaust,” leading to an economic depression and unprecedented casualties.
“America is not untouchable,” Greene said, urging the public to stop what she called the “insanity.”
The former lawmaker noted that the Trump administration would be held responsible by history if a nuclear conflict breaks out.
While Greene’s warning goes against recent signals from the Trump administration, which suggest the U.S. is opting to increase economic pressure on Iran, the administration has a long history of using deception to sedate Iran before a major escalation.
The deployment of the USS George Washington also indicates that the U.S. has not abandoned military options against Iran.
With all traditional military options having failed to subdue Iran so far, a tactical nuclear strike is not completely impossible. The most likely target of such a strike would be Pickaxe Mountain, a deep underground nuclear facility in the center of the Islamic Republic.
Such a strike won’t win the U.S. the war. On the contrary, it would force Iran to adopt a more hardline stance, and possibly push the Islamic Republic to reconsider its position against acquiring nuclear weapons.
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