US Mulls Sending Troops to Iran to Secure Nuclear Stockpile
US reportedly weighs deploying ground forces to Iran to seize its highly enriched uranium stockpile. Trump administration signals readiness.
The Trump administration is actively considering deploying US ground forces into Iran to secure the country's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, according to multiple reports. Defense officials confirm that Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Trump 'reserve the right' to send troops, though the mission would require a large special operations force. Experts warn capturing Iran's nuclear materials would be an extraordinarily complex and risky endeavor.
The United States is actively weighing the deployment of American ground forces into Iran to secure the country's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, according to multiple news reports published Wednesday.
Intelligence sources tell CNN that capturing Iran's nuclear materials would require a substantial US ground force, potentially numbering in the thousands of special operations troops. The mission would represent one of the most ambitious and dangerous military operations since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Administration Signals Openness to Ground Troops
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth explicitly stated that he and President Trump 'reserve the right' to send US troops to Iran, marking a significant escalation in the administration's rhetoric toward Tehran.
'We are looking at all options. The President has made clear that we will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon,' Hegseth said in a press briefing Tuesday.
NBC News reports that Trump has privately shown serious interest in deploying US ground forces to Iran, a move that would fundamentally alter the US military footprint in the Middle East.
Operational Challenges Mount
Military experts caution that seizing Iran's uranium stockpile would present enormous operational challenges. Iran's nuclear facilities are dispersed across multiple locations throughout the country, many of them deep underground or hardened against aerial attack.
'This would not be a quick in-and-out operation,' said a former senior military officer who spoke on condition of anonymity. 'Securing these sites requires boots on the ground, and Iran will fight to defend them.'
ABC News reports that large-scale US special operations forces would be needed to conduct the ground mission, with estimates suggesting a deployment of several thousand troops to secure all known nuclear sites.
Iran's Nuclear Program Under Scrutiny
Iran's nuclear program has been a source of international concern for decades. The country has accumulated approximately 5,500 kilograms of enriched uranium, according to the latest International Atomic Energy Agency reports. While Iran maintains its program is peaceful, Western intelligence agencies believe Tehran has pursued weapons-capable enrichment levels.
The potential operation comes amid rising tensions between the US and Iran, with diplomatic negotiations at a standstill. The Biden administration attempted to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), but those efforts stalled. The Trump administration has taken a markedly harder line, vowing to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon by 'any means necessary.'
International Reactions
Allies have expressed concern about the potential military escalation. European nations urge caution, warning that a US ground invasion of Iran could destabilize the entire Middle East and trigger a broader conflict.
Russia and China, both permanent members of the UN Security Council, have warned against any unilateral US military action in Iran, calling for a diplomatic solution to the nuclear dispute.
As of Wednesday night, no final decision has been made on whether to proceed with the ground operation. However, the mere discussion of such a mission underscores the escalating confrontation between Washington and Tehran, with potentially grave consequences for regional and global security.