Exclusive | US mulls plan to snatch enriched uranium from Iran's nuclear facilities: 'most sophisticated op in history'

US Weighs Military Options to Secure Enriched Uranium Stocks at Iranian Nuclear Sites

American military planners have examined the possibility of a ground operation to remove enriched uranium from Iranian nuclear facilities, according to individuals familiar with internal discussions. The concept involves large numbers of personnel to establish perimeters, clear access points, and extract material from sites that have sustained prior damage.

Joseph Rodgers, deputy director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, stated that a military approach may be the most direct method to address existing Iranian nuclear material if diplomatic channels do not advance. He described the logistical requirements as substantial, including the need to secure areas around targeted locations and maintain routes for withdrawal under contested conditions. Rodgers noted that Iranian forces retain some defensive capabilities despite recent losses.

Planning documents reviewed by The Post outline a sequence in which conventional units would first isolate facilities, followed by specialized teams entering to handle and remove material. The 21st Ordnance Company has been identified in one independent report as the unit responsible for managing radioactive substances during extraction. Additional elements referenced include personnel from SEAL Team 6’s Silver Squadron and the 2nd Ranger Battalion. These details originated in reporting by the outlet The High Side.

The International Atomic Energy Agency stated in 2025 that Iran possessed a total enriched uranium stockpile exceeding 20,000 pounds. Within that inventory, the quantity enriched to 60 percent constitutes a smaller portion, approximately 1,000 pounds, that has drawn particular attention in assessments of proliferation risk. Distinguishing between the overall stockpile and the higher-enriched fraction is relevant to any removal effort.

Satellite imagery has shown activity at the Isfahan site, including placement of obstacles around entrances. Iranian authorities have also positioned defensive measures inside tunnels at the facility, according to a CNN account published last month. Richard Goldberg, who previously served as director for countering Iranian weapons of mass destruction on the White House National Security Council during the first Trump administration, said preparations at Isfahan include perimeter reinforcements and explosive devices. He added that the fixed locations of the sites are known to both sides, eliminating any element of surprise.

Goldberg further observed that sustaining forces on the ground while clearing debris from damaged entrances and establishing an extraction corridor would require extended control of surrounding airspace and ground routes. The duration of such an operation would depend on the ability to maintain security until material could be transported to an airfield.

A separate location, referred to as Pickaxe Mountain within the Natanz complex, has been cited in recent reports as the destination for hundreds of centrifuges moved from other areas of the site. Goldberg stated that any operation there would likely aim to disable or remove equipment rather than rely solely on aerial strikes, given uncertainty about the facility’s internal layout. He contrasted this scenario with the Isfahan and Fordow sites, where prior airstrikes had already compromised structural integrity at specific points.

The same planning considerations include the use of construction equipment to reopen buried access points and the deployment of blocking forces to counter potential Iranian counterattacks. Goldberg compared one aspect of a possible Natanz mission to a prior operation in Venezuela that involved rapid entry and exit, though he emphasized differences in scale and environment.

No official confirmation of an approved mission has been issued by the Department of Defense. Discussions remain at the conceptual stage, with outcomes dependent on intelligence updates regarding facility conditions and Iranian defensive preparations.