President Donald Trump has confirmed that a potential U.S. military operation to extract Iran’s remaining highly enriched uranium would be a complex, high-risk mission lasting up to two weeks and demanding extensive heavy equipment and ground forces.
According to plans briefed to the president in late March 2026, the operation would involve airlifting hundreds or even thousands of U.S. troops, including special operations forces and engineers, deep into Iranian territory. Forces would need to excavate buried material at sites like Isfahan, Natanz, and Fordow, build temporary runways for cargo aircraft (such as C-130s and C-17s), and safely remove and transport roughly 450–1,000 pounds (200–450 kg) of radioactive enriched uranium.
Trump described the logistical challenges in recent comments, noting it is “not like Venezuela” - a quick in-and-out raid. Instead, troops would remain on the ground for an extended period in a hostile environment, requiring “massive equipment” to be airlifted in. He ultimately rejected a unilateral commando-style raid, citing risks of it becoming a prolonged entanglement similar to past failed operations.
Key Details from Reports:
- Timeline: Days to two weeks on the ground for excavation, securing the site, and extraction.
- Requirements: Heavy excavation machinery (“the biggest excavators”), radiation protection gear, temporary airfield construction, and large-scale logistics under potential fire.
- Context: The plan was developed after U.S. and Israeli strikes heavily damaged Iran’s nuclear facilities but left significant quantities of enriched uranium buried underground and still potentially recoverable.
Trump has since emphasized diplomatic and cooperative approaches with Iran to remove or destroy the material as part of ceasefire negotiations, stating the U.S. will ultimately secure the uranium “one way or another.” As of Thursday evening (June 4, 2026), he reiterated that the material is largely “entombed” and that the U.S. could retrieve it if needed, though no immediate military action is planned.
The option remains on the table amid ongoing talks to end hostilities. Experts warn any ground extraction would rank among the most dangerous special operations in U.S. history due to radiation hazards, Iranian remnants, and deep logistical demands.
