US Considers Options for Iran’s Nuclear Materials as War Enters Uncertain Phase
Washington — As the U.S.-Israel-led military campaign against Iran enters a more uncertain phase, the Trump administration is strategizing methods to secure or extract Iran’s nuclear materials, according to sources familiar with the discussions. The timing of any such operation remains unclear, and President Trump has not yet made a decision.
Focus Shifts to Preventing Iran from Obtaining a Nuclear Weapon
The initial phase of the conflict focused on degrading Iran’s conventional military capabilities – including air defenses, missile systems, and infrastructure linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Despite these efforts, Iran has been able to counterstrike against Israel and U.S.-allied countries in the Gulf region, disrupting oil shipments by threatening vessels. Six U.S. Service members have been killed and dozens injured in attacks in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and six Americans died in a plane crash in Iraq.
More recently, the administration has turned its attention to preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, a goal President Trump outlined at the start of the war. As of last summer, Iran had amassed approximately 972 pounds of 60%-enriched uranium, bringing it closer to weapons-grade material, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) [1].
Challenges of Securing Iranian Uranium
U.S. Officials have indicated that retrieving Iran’s stockpiles of highly enriched uranium is an option under consideration. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated earlier this week that it “is an option on the table for him.”
However, any mission to seize the uranium would be complex and risky. Rafael Grossi, the IAEA’s director-general, noted the difficulty of handling cylinders containing highly contaminated uranium hexafluoride gas [1]. While acknowledging the potential for a challenging operation, he did not rule out the possibility.
Past Assessments and Negotiations
The U.S. Intelligence community assessed last spring that Iran was not actively pursuing the development of a nuclear weapon, and Iran maintains its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes. However, Iran has enriched uranium to 60%, exceeding levels necessary for most non-military applications. The IAEA has stated that Iran is the only non-nuclear weapons state to enrich uranium to this level.
Prior to the conflict, the U.S. And Iran engaged in indirect talks aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear program. These discussions included proposals for blending Iran’s highly enriched uranium down to a lower level and converting it into fuel, as reported by Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, who mediated the negotiations. President Trump has called for Iran to cease all uranium enrichment, including at lower levels, a demand the Iranian government has rejected.
Trump’s Position and Potential Drawdown
President Trump, in a recent post on Truth Social, suggested the U.S. Is “getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East with respect to the Terrorist Regime of Iran.”
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