US Military Prepares Plan To Seize Iran's Uranium: 'Could Involve Hundreds Or Thousands Of Troops'

Last Updated:April 02, 2026, 16:20 IST

US military drafted a risky plan under Donald Trump to send hundreds or thousands of troops into Iran to seize highly enriched uranium at fortified sites like Isfahan and Natanz.

The US military has drawn up a high-risk plan to seize Iran’s stockpile of uranium, following a directive from President Donald Trump, according to a report by The Washington Post.

The proposal envisages deploying hundreds — potentially thousands — of American troops inside Iran in what officials describe as an unprecedented and complex mission.

What The Plan Involves

The operation would target uranium stored deep inside fortified nuclear sites such as Isfahan and Natanz. Much of the material is believed to be buried under debris following earlier airstrikes, making access difficult.

According to the report, the proposal involves securing more than 1,000 pounds of radioactive material from within Iran.

This mission, however, is not a conventional attack. But it would require a large-scale, ground-intensive operation deep inside hostile territory, the report said.

“It is slow, meticulous and can be an extremely deadly process," a former special operator trained for such missions told the Post.

Another former defense official described the potential mission as looking like “you’re not just buying a car on the lot, you’re buying the entire assembly line."

IAEA Best Equipped To Remove Uranium

Meanwhile, Retired US Gen. Joseph Votel told The Washington Post that a military operation was possible to extract the uranium, but that International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) personnel were best equipped to remove the material under a ceasefire.

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