US President Donald Trump's administration is considering ways to secure or seize Iran's nuclear materials, CBS News reported, citing people familiar with these talks.
The US is preparing to seize Iran's uranium
The timing of such an operation, if Trump decided on it, was unclear as of Friday evening. One CBS News source said the president has not made a decision on the matter.
According to the American station's interlocutors, the planning of such an operation is based on preparations to use the forces of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). This is an elite military unit engaged to carry out the most confidential missions.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told CBS News the Pentagon's job is to prepare. According to data from the International Atomic Energy Agency last year, Iran has accumulated approximately 440 kg of uranium enriched to 60 percent. It is mostly hidden under the nuclear facilities that the US attacked in 2025.
American officials said that the Trump administration does not rule out an attempt to release highly enriched uranium as part of the current military operation.
Any attempt to capture uranium, however, would be a risky endeavor.
— These are cylinders containing uranium hexafluoride enriched up to 60 percent. in gaseous form, so they are very difficult to manipulate. I'm not saying it's impossible. “I know there is an incredible military capability to do this, but it would certainly be a very challenging operation,” Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told CBS News.
As CBS News reported on Friday, the Americans are conducting detailed preparations for a possible US land operation in Iran. The station's anonymous sources suggest that Trump is considering whether to deploy US ground forces in the region. In connection with the possible operation, the military also submitted their requests regarding the organization of the action.
The military also held a meeting on how to organize the potential detention of Iranian soldiers and members of paramilitary forces. There was talk about where the Iranians would be sent. On Thursday, Trump said he would not send troops to Iran.
