U.S. officials told the Wall Street Journal that President Donald Trump is weighing a plan to undertake a military mission to seize nearly 1,000 pounds of uranium from Iran, though no decision has been reached.
According to those officials, Mr. Trump remains broadly receptive to the proposal but has paused on authorizing any operation because of the potential danger it could pose to U.S. service members. The consideration of a direct extraction reflects the continued emphasis by Washington and its partners on blocking Tehran’s path to a nuclear weapon.
The reported plan to remove Iran’s uranium would be technically complex and fraught with risk, the officials said, and could generate sharp retaliation from Tehran if carried out. That risk is one of the factors weighing on the president’s decision.
Officials also told the newspaper that Mr. Trump has instructed advisers to press Iran to surrender the material as a condition for ending the current hostilities. The leadership in Washington and in Jerusalem have framed their recent operations as part of a campaign aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Last year, coordinated air strikes by the U.S. and Israel targeted Iranian nuclear facilities at a time when Iran was thought to possess over 400 kilograms of 60% highly enriched uranium and nearly 200 kilograms of 20% fissile material. Those strikes and the possible extraction under discussion are presented by U.S. and Israeli officials as linked efforts to deny Tehran key nuclear material.
Fighting in the region has continued with little sign of de-escalation. The conflict entered its fifth consecutive week, and new participants have emerged: the Yemen-based, Iran-backed Houthi group has begun attacks against Israel, while Iran has warned the United States against planning a ground invasion.
U.S. forces were reported to be moving roughly 3,500 troops into the Middle East over a recent weekend, transporting personnel aboard the USS Tripoli warship, according to the reporting cited by officials.
Summary
President Trump is reportedly considering a military operation to extract nearly 1,000 pounds of uranium from Iran. He has not authorized the mission, citing concerns about risks to U.S. troops, and has also urged advisers to seek Iran’s surrender of the material as part of ending hostilities. The consideration comes amid continued strikes and tensions involving the U.S., Israel, Iran and Iran-backed groups, and troop movements including roughly 3,500 U.S. forces aboard the USS Tripoli.