by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
(Worthy News) – President Donald Trump is weighing a potential military operation to extract nearly 1,000 pounds of enriched uranium from Iran, a complex and dangerous mission that could place U.S. forces inside the country for days, according to a Wall Street Journal exclusive citing U.S. officials.
While no final decision has been made, officials say the president remains open to the option as part of his central objective: ensuring Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon. The operation would involve securing and removing highly enriched uranium believed to be stored at key nuclear sites, including facilities in Isfahan and Natanz.
Trump has also directed advisers to push Iran diplomatically to surrender the material as a condition for ending the war. However, if negotiations fail, he has discussed the possibility of seizing the uranium by force.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that military planning does not indicate a final decision. “It’s the job of the Pentagon to make preparations … to give the commander-in-chief maximum optionality,” she said.
The mission, if approved, would rank among the most challenging operations of the conflict. Military experts say U.S. forces would likely face Iranian air defenses, drones, and potential retaliation while attempting to secure and transport radioactive material from heavily fortified or damaged sites.
The uranium—stored in dozens of specialized containers—would require careful handling by elite teams trained in nuclear material extraction. Engineers and combat troops would need to secure the area, clear hazards, and establish transport routes, potentially including the construction of temporary airfields.
Retired Gen. Joseph Votel, former commander of U.S. Central Command, warned that such an operation would not be quick. “This is not a quick in-and-out kind of deal,” he said, noting it could take days or longer to complete.
The U.S. military is already positioning assets in the region, including Marine units and elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, while officials consider deploying up to 10,000 additional troops to expand operational options.
Despite the risks, Trump has signaled a preference for avoiding a prolonged conflict, aiming to conclude military operations within a limited timeframe while pursuing a negotiated settlement. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that U.S. objectives could still be achieved without deploying ground forces.
Iran currently is not enriching uranium to weapons-grade levels, U.S. officials say, but retains the capability to do so. Intelligence assessments warn that Tehran could eventually develop long-range missile capabilities if its nuclear ambitions are not halted.
In public remarks, Trump underscored the urgency of the issue, referring to the enriched material as “nuclear dust” and framing it as a central justification for the ongoing conflict.
Diplomatic channels remain open, with countries such as Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt acting as intermediaries. However, no direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran have yet taken place.
Officials say the coming days will be critical as the administration weighs whether to pursue a negotiated surrender of Iran’s nuclear material — or prepare for a bold and risky operation to remove it by force.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
More Worthy News
President Donald Trump declared Tuesday that the United States has entered a new “Golden Age,” pointing to accelerating factory activity, record stock-market levels and sustained growth in American exports.
Written free-speech protections at American colleges have reached their strongest level in two decades, according to a new report from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
Intensifying Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports and commercial vessels have effectively revived a Black Sea blockade, threatening Ukraine’s agricultural economy and raising concerns over global food supplies.
Israeli and Lebanese representatives concluded the first day of U.S.-mediated negotiations in Rome on Tuesday, with talks scheduled to resume Wednesday morning as both sides seek progress toward a broader security agreement.
Israeli surgeons have successfully reconstructed the chest wall of a young cancer patient using a fully personalized, 3D-printed implant, marking a medical first for Israel and opening new possibilities for patients facing complex tumor-removal surgery.
Iran has deployed regular army special forces into northern Iraq, carrying out a series of ground raids against Iranian Kurdish opposition groups as Tehran moves to eliminate forces it views as a potential threat to the Islamic Republic.
Egyptian authorities have executed the man convicted of murdering a Coptic Orthodox priest, bringing to a close a case that shocked Egypt’s Christian community more than four years after the fatal attack, Worthy News learned Tuesday