US Considers Seizing Iran's Highly Enriched Uranium, Trump Calls It Off

U.S. media outlet CNN, citing two sources familiar with the matter, reported that the top U.S. military officer, General Dan Caine, secretly visited the headquarters of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in Florida late last month to receive a briefing on a plan to send ground troops into Iran to seize highly enriched uranium. According to CNN, General Caine subsequently briefed President Trump on the options for the action, but Trump called it off after being warned that it could provoke severe Iranian retaliation, prolong the war, and further destabilize the global economy. A spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff declined to comment on the preparations for the potential action. Sources familiar with the potential military action plan revealed that Trump was also concerned about significant U.S. military casualties. One source familiar with the potential military action plan stated that 'the risks are many,' and it was not surprising that Trump chose not to proceed last month. Three sources told CNN that the Tehran authorities are also secretly plotting an economic 'nuclear option' that would be activated if negotiations with the U.S. collapse and the war resumes: inciting Iran's proxy armed group in Yemen, the Houthis, to blockade the Bab-al-Mandab Strait. This critical waterway is a lifeline for global trade and has been a vital route for Red Sea shipping during Iran's effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz for several months. Despite the high risks, the possibility of seizing Iran's highly enriched uranium has not been completely ruled out. Highly enriched uranium is a key ingredient in the production of nuclear weapons. Stocks of highly enriched uranium are dispersed across multiple Iranian nuclear facilities, primarily located at the Isfahan, Natanz, and Fordow facilities, and are buried in underground tunnels. Nuclear experts question whether the U.S. military can actually find and verify all the enriched uranium, let alone safely and completely remove it in a hostile environment. A senior government official admitted today that even if Iran agrees to remove the highly enriched uranium, the relevant technical details have not yet been clarified, and the execution would be difficult. While Trump has previously stated that he would take Iran's enriched uranium, he was lukewarm about this option yesterday in the Oval Office. He said, 'No one can get near it because it's buried under the mountain.'