Discussions within the administration of US President Donald Trump have included the possibility of deploying American ground troops to secure Iran’s remaining stockpile of highly enriched uranium, according to current and former officials familiar with military planning. Sources said such an operation would extend far beyond limited special forces missions and could significantly escalate the conflict.
A US bombing campaign last June targeted three Iranian nuclear facilities but did not eliminate all of Iran’s enriched uranium reserves. Officials familiar with planning assessments said a substantial portion of the remaining stockpile is believed to be stored deep underground at the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center, with additional material thought to be held at the Natanz Nuclear Facility. Iranian authorities are also believed to be clearing debris from earlier strikes and attempting to restore access to underground tunnel networks at the affected sites.
Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, has indicated that roughly 200 kilograms of highly enriched uranium is likely still present at the Isfahan site. Additional quantities are believed to remain elsewhere. Uranium enriched to very high purity can be used for civilian energy or, at weapons-grade levels, for nuclear weapons. International monitors estimate Iran’s stockpile is currently enriched to levels below weapons-grade but significantly above typical civilian requirements.
Officials said any effort to recover or neutralise the material would involve complex technical and security challenges. The uranium is reportedly stored deep underground, requiring specialised teams to locate, secure, transport or disable highly radioactive material. Because Iranian forces continue to control surrounding areas, planners believe a broader deployment of dozens or potentially hundreds of troops would be needed to secure perimeters, provide logistics and protect the core recovery units.
Trump has repeatedly stated that fully dismantling Iran’s nuclear capability remains a central war objective. However, a ground mission to seize nuclear material would represent a major operational and political escalation, raising risks tied to prolonged engagement, regional fallout and the dangers inherent in handling and moving radioactive stockpiles.
