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For years, the international debate surrounding Iran has focused heavily on topics like centrifuges, uranium reserves, and the percentages of enrichment. However, this approach may be becoming obsolete. Recent evaluations suggest that Tehran is not only inching closer to nuclear capability but is also developing advanced ballistic missiles potentially equipped with chemical and biological warheads. This shift marks a significant strategic escalation rather than mere incremental pressure.
Amir Avivi, a military advisor from Israel, has voiced concerns about the Islamic Republic’s actions, stating that Iran is actively preparing for conflict by developing ballistic missiles with chemical and biological capacities. He emphasized the severe danger posed by these developments, urging for immediate attention.
Avivi, who previously served as a brigadier general in the Israel Defense Forces and now advises the Israeli government, highlighted ongoing discussions within Israel’s defense circles regarding these unconventional threats.
This claim significantly reframes the situation. While nuclear weapons serve as tools for deterrence and regime protection, the introduction of chemical or biological warheads on ballistic missiles alters the strategic landscape. Such weapons aim not just to damage infrastructure but to create widespread chaos, overwhelm civilian defenses, and disrupt decision-making processes. If these reports hold any truth, this is not a minor issue but a step up a more dangerous escalation ladder.
Furthermore, Avivi pointed out the psychological impact that such weapons could have on populations.
That allegation changes the frame entirely. Nuclear weapons are instruments of deterrence and regime survival. Chemical or biological warheads fitted onto ballistic missiles introduce a different calculus. They are designed not merely to destroy infrastructure but to induce chaos, overwhelm civilian preparedness, and paralyze decision-making. If even partially accurate, this is not a marginal development. It is a movement up an entirely different escalation ladder.
Avivi also underscored the psychological dimension of such weapons.
“It’s the kind of weapon that can create mass hysteria. We know that they’re producing ballistic missiles around the clock, and the ballistic missiles they are producing now are more sophisticated than the ones they shot in the 12-Day War.”
Earlier reporting described incidents during Iran’s domestic crackdown in which “unknown chemical substances” were allegedly deployed in several cities. Eyewitnesses reported breathing difficulties and sudden weakness. Video reviewed by the outlet reportedly showed security forces in protective gear alongside trucks marked with hazardous substance warnings.
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That footage matters. If chemical agents were used internally, even in limited fashion, it suggests more than theory. It suggests stockpiles, handling protocols, trained personnel, and delivery infrastructure. The leap from domestic suppression to battlefield or missile application is not automatic, but it is not imaginary either.
ویدیوی دریافتشده از سبزوار نشان میدهد در پی تداوم خیزش ملی ایرانیان در شامگاه چهارشنبه ۱۷ دیماه، نیروهای امنیتی جمهوری اسلامی از سلاحهای غیرمتعارف برای مقابله با معترضان استفاده کردهاند. تصاویر، افرادی را با لباس و ماسک محافظ ویژه برای مواد شیمیایی خطرناک نشان میدهد که بر… pic.twitter.com/QFpC3oy6Ne
— ايران اينترنشنال (@IranIntl) January 8, 2026
On the nuclear front, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff delivered a parallel warning during an interview.
“They’re probably a week away from having industrial-grade bomb-making material. And that’s really dangerous. So they can’t have that.”
Context is important. Following joint strikes in 2025, Iran is believed to lack access to key materials, enrichment machines, and an operational weapons program at present. But senior officials are again speaking in terms of weeks when discussing enrichment potential under certain conditions. That alone narrows the margin for miscalculation.
Taken together, these warnings point to something larger than a routine diplomatic dispute. Allegations of chemical and biological warhead development combined with renewed enrichment timelines signal a regime testing boundaries on multiple fronts at once.
This is not panic territory. It is red flag territory. If Israel’s assessment is even partly correct, the Iran debate is no longer confined to uranium percentages and inspection regimes. It becomes a question of what kind of weapons Tehran is preparing to use and what kind of war it is preparing to fight. History shows that when threats evolve this quickly, they rarely remain theoretical for long.
Editor’s Note: With President Trump back in the White House, the state of our Union is strong once again.
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