‘A million things could go wrong’ – why seizing Iran’s uranium would be so risky for the US

A scenario in which US troops storm a secret underground nuclear facility to seize Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium may seem unlikely, but it is reportedly being considered as a way to prevent the development of nuclear weapons. Such an operation would be highly complex and dangerous, requiring the deployment of ground forces and potentially taking days or even weeks to complete. Removing the uranium stockpile would rank among the most complicated special operations ever undertaken, according to defence experts.

This is just one of several possible military actions. Other options could include taking control of Kharg Island to pressure Iran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while the threat of further operations may also be intended to push Iran towards negotiations.

In a telephone interview on Tuesday, President Trump declined to say whether victory in the war could be declared without removing or destroying Iran’s enriched uranium. However, he appeared to downplay the importance of the stockpile, pointing to the damage caused in earlier US-Israeli strikes. He noted that the material is buried so deeply that it would be very difficult for anyone to reach, describing it as relatively secure, while adding that a final decision would still be made.

His remarks followed a report that the US was considering an operation to extract the material. The White House said that no final decision had yet been made.