President Trump is seriously considering a military operation to extract highly enriched uranium from Iran, according to a new report. The move comes as diplomatic efforts have stalled, and concerns grow over Iran's nuclear program. Experts warn of significant risks, including potential retaliation and a prolonged conflict.
President Donald Trump is seriously considering a military operation aimed at seizing nearly 1,000 pounds of highly enriched uranium from Iran . The report, published Sunday night, reveals that Trump believes Tehran must surrender what he terms the regime’s “nuclear dust,” or face potentially devastating consequences. While no final decision has been made, Trump is open to a high-risk mission that could involve deploying American forces within Iran for an extended period to secure the material.
Trump’s stance has been made clear: Iran cannot be allowed to possess the enriched uranium, and he reinforced this position aboard Air Force One, warning that Iran must comply with U.S. demands or face the destruction of the country. He has repeatedly emphasized his desire for Iran to hand over the uranium as part of a settlement to end the ongoing conflict, but he has also openly discussed the possibility of using military force if Tehran refuses to comply. Although he hasn’t publicly committed to such an operation, Trump has privately signaled that preventing Iran from retaining the enriched uranium is a paramount objective of his campaign.\The potential military operation is being viewed with significant concern, with former U.S. military officials and nuclear experts expressing strong reservations. They warn that such a mission could trigger severe retaliation from Iran, thereby prolonging the conflict and necessitating the deployment of combat troops, engineers, specialized transport teams, and the establishment of makeshift airfield operations within hostile territory. The operation would likely involve entering heavily defended sites, securing the nuclear material under the constant threat of Iranian missiles, drones, and ground fire, and then safely transporting it out under tightly controlled conditions. This complex undertaking could take days or even longer to complete. International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi believes that most of the uranium is stored at two of the three sites struck by the United States and Israel last June, specifically, an underground tunnel complex at Isfahan and a cache at Natanz. Before these strikes, Iran was believed to possess over 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent, along with almost 200 kilograms of 20 percent fissile material. Experts have highlighted the grave risk of this 60 percent stockpile, as it can be rapidly enriched to weapons-grade levels. This is compounded by the failure of diplomatic efforts. Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, has reported that Iranian negotiators made it clear during talks that Tehran would not relinquish its enrichment program, holding firm in its refusal to concede diplomatically what it believes the United States could not achieve militarily.\Further complicating matters, Iran retains the centrifuges required to further enrich the uranium, along with the capacity to establish a new underground enrichment site, which indicates that the existing stockpile could be used to produce multiple nuclear weapons if left intact. The uranium itself is believed to be stored in numerous specialized cylinders, resembling scuba tanks, which would need to be carefully placed into transportation casks and removed under secure conditions. According to retired Gen. Joseph Votel, former commander of U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command, the operation would not be a quick in-and-out mission. Votel also stated that preventing Iran from rebuilding its nuclear program requires that the regime relinquishes control of the material and allows an outside authority to take custody of it. While Votel acknowledged the U.S. military could perform this task, he suggested that it could be better handled by the IAEA with U.S. and perhaps other international support. Despite the risks, Trump and some allies have privately argued that a targeted operation could remove the uranium without significantly escalating the conflict. The administration continues to publicly state its aim of wrapping up operations within the four-to-six-week timeframe that it has outlined. As a senior military official noted, “It’s the job of the Pentagon to make preparations in order to give the commander-in-chief maximum optionality. It does not mean the president has made a decision.
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