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Last Updated:March 16, 2026, 13:14 IST
US seizure of Iran’s nuclear stockpile not so easy: Experts say such a mission could require a complex combination of elite combat units, specialised engineers & nuclear scientists
An Iranian security official in protective clothing walks through part of the Uranium Conversion Facility just outside the Iranian city of Isfahan. (AP File)
On February 28, as US President Donald Trump began the joint strikes on Iran with Israel, he cited nuclear risks as one of the primary reasons. He has repeatedly vowed that the regime can “never have a nuclear weapon".
The Trump administration and Israeli officials are now reportedly weighing a high-stakes military operation to seize or neutralise Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium (HEU). Experts say such a mission could potentially be “the largest special forces operation in history", requiring a complex combination of elite combat units, specialised engineers, and nuclear scientists.
Iran’s nuclear capabilities
While it is considered a “nuclear threshold state" with the technical capacity and enriched uranium to produce them, international watchdogs and intelligence agencies maintain there is no confirmed evidence of a current, active weaponisation program in Iran.
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US intelligence and the Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) continue to assess that Iran is not currently building a nuclear weapon. Analysts believe Iran has the scientific knowledge and infrastructure to produce a weapon in a short period —potentially weeks for the fuel and several months for a deliverable warhead — should its leadership make the decision to do so.
Before recent military strikes, Iran had accumulated a significant stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% purity, which is technically close to the 90% “weapons-grade" level, according to media reports.
The strikes
In June 2025 and again in February 2026, the United States and Israel launched joint military campaigns targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile infrastructure, including sites at Natanz and Fordow, to prevent it from reaching “breakout" capability.
Following the strikes, Iran largely suspended cooperation with the IAEA, and the 2015 Nuclear Deal (JCPOA) was declared void by Tehran in late 2025.
While Iran officially maintains its program is for peaceful energy purposes, some Iranian officials have recently suggested a potential shift in their nuclear doctrine if the country faces an existential threat.
Israel is widely believed to be the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East, though it maintains a policy of “nuclear ambiguity" and has never officially confirmed its arsenal. Experts warn that if Iran were to acquire nuclear weapons, it could trigger a regional arms race, with countries like Saudi Arabia indicating they might pursue their own nuclear deterrent in response.
Seizing Iran’s nuclear stockpile: The objection and two paths
The primary goal will be to secure roughly 440–450 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium that survived previous airstrikes and is currently buried beneath rubble at sites like the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center, a Wall Street Journal assessment stated.
Planners have identified two main paths:
Extraction: Physically capturing the specialized canisters of uranium gas and transporting them out of Iran under heavy military escort.
On-Site Neutralisation: Deploying nuclear experts to dilute the material with natural uranium, rendering it unusable for weaponisation, said the report.
What would the operation require?
The WSJ, quoting military analysts and former officials, outlined several critical components for a successful mission:
Upward of 1,000 personnel might be needed for a single site, including Army Rangers or other combat troops to secure perimeters.Engineers would need excavating equipment to dig through tons of debris at subterranean complexes while checking for mines and booby traps.If local airfields are unavailable, makeshift ones must be established to fly equipment in and nuclear material out.A “quick response force" and continuous air cover would be required to intercept potential Iranian drone and missile counterattacks.Vice President Vance on military operations in Iran:“The President wants to make it clear to the Iranians and to the world that he is not going to rest until he accomplishes that all-important objective of ensuring that Iran can’t have a nuclear weapon."🔥 pic.twitter.com/QXOxCAi87D
— Vice President JD Vance (@VP) March 3, 2026
What would be the targets in Iran?
The operation would likely focus on three primary hubs where material is believed to be stored, according to the report:
Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center: Where a significant portion of the stockpile is currently buried under rubble.
Natanz Nuclear Facility: A major enrichment site previously targeted by airstrikes.
Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant: A highly fortified facility built deep inside a mountain.
What are the risks and obstacles?
Troops would remain on the ground for days in a hostile environment, facing risks from IEDs and direct fire.
Uranium hexafluoride (UF6) gas is highly toxic; any breach of containers during excavation or transport could cause severe contamination.
There are ongoing concerns that Iran may have moved some of its near-bomb-grade uranium to covert locations.
While President Trump has stated that such an operation is not currently “imminent," he has confirmed the option remains “on the table" as a means to ensure Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon, stated the report.
With agency inputs
First Published:
March 16, 2026, 13:14 IST
News explainers Why US Seizure Of Iran’s Nuclear Material Would Be ‘Largest Special Forces Operation In History’
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