The U.S. is considering a military operation to seize Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Iran has approximately 440-450 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity. This stockpile could potentially yield up to 10 nuclear bombs if further enriched to weapons-grade levels.
Iran denies having a nuclear weapons program and insists its nuclear activities are peaceful. However, the IAEA and Western nations say Iran had an organized nuclear weapons program up until 2003.
The exact location of Iran's highly enriched uranium is uncertain, making a military operation high-risk with low probability of absolute success. IAEA inspectors have not been able to verify the location of Iran's highly enriched uranium since June 2025 due to strikes weakening Iran's defenses. U.S. intelligence has high confidence that it knows the location of Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpiles.
Part of Iran's highly enriched uranium is believed to be stored in deep tunnels at its nuclear complex outside Isfahan. Additional quantities of highly enriched uranium may be stored at the Natanz nuclear site and possibly at Fordo.
Iranian nuclear enrichment facilities had been 'completely and totally obliterated'.
The highly enriched uranium is stored in metal canisters containing uranium hexafluoride gas.
A military operation to seize the uranium would be complex, risky, and lengthy, involving radiation and chemical dangers. Such an operation could involve up to 1,000 specially trained forces, helicopters, spy planes, and fighter jets, taking at least 24 hours.
Preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear bomb is one of U.S. President Donald Trump's stated war aims.
The U.S. has developed equipment called the Mobile Uranium Facility to contain and remove highly enriched uranium. U.S. and Israeli special forces have long trained for missions to extract nuclear materials from hostile environments.
US troops would not be sent in until Iranian defending forces 'would be so decimated that they wouldn’t be able to fight on the ground level'.
It is unlikely that the U.S. managed to destroy Iran's already-enriched uranium during strikes.
A free Iran could represent a major economic opportunity for the U.S., with potential for over $1 trillion in export revenues.
Key unknowns persist, including the precise, current location of all of Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile and whether the U.S. has made a final decision on whether to proceed with a military operation to seize the uranium. Diplomatic or negotiated alternatives to secure the uranium without force are also unclear.
Further unknowns include how many canisters of highly enriched uranium exist, and how full is each one, as well as the exact radiation and chemical risks that troops would face during a seizure operation.