Nuclear

Iran, Axios: US considers sending troops to seize uranium stockpile

Hypothesis of special operations units in Iran for specific missions. Trump: 'Maybe later'.

8 March 2026

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

Special Operations Units
Trump's words
Uranium reserves

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

The US and Israel discussed sending special forces to Iran to seize and secure its stockpile of enriched uranium. The Axios website reports this, citing four sources familiar with the discussions.

Special Operations Units

An Israeli defence official said that US President Donald Trump and his team are seriously considering sending special operations units to Iran for specific missions. For his part, a US official reported two options under consideration by the administration regarding uranium: removing the material from Iran completely or bringing in nuclear experts to dilute it on site.

"The first question is: where is it located? The second question is: how can we access it and how can we gain physical control of it? - said the American source - and then, it would be a decision of the president and the war department, the CIA, whether to physically transport it or dilute it on site."

Trump's words

Yesterday, 7 March, on board Air Force One, Trump told reporters that sending ground troops is possible, but only 'for a very good reason'.

Asked specifically about troop intervention to secure nuclear material, Trump did not rule it out: 'At some point maybe we will. We haven't done it yet. We wouldn't do it now. Maybe later."

Uranium reserves

The US and Israeli attacks last June against Iranian nuclear facilities buried uranium stockpiles under rubble. Since then, the Iranians themselves have not been able to reach them, according to American and Israeli officials told Axios.

The June 2025 attacks also destroyed almost all Iranian centrifuges and there is no evidence that enrichment has resumed.

According to sources, most of the uranium reserves are located in the underground tunnels of the Isfahan facility, while the rest is divided between Fordow and Natanz. In the first days of the war, the US and Israel launched attacks on Natanz and Isfahan, probably aimed at sealing the entrances and preventing the movement of any material.