Report: US mulls operation to secure Iranian nuclear material

US President Donald Trump’s administration is weighing options to secure or extract Iran’s nuclear materials, CBS news reports, citing sources familiar with the discussions.

Planning has reportedly included the potential deployment of forces from the Joint Special Operations Command, an elite unit typically tasked with sensitive counter-proliferation missions. However, Trump is said to have not yet made a decision on whether to proceed with such an operation.

According to CBS, a White House spokeswoman said it is the Pentagon’s responsibility to prepare potential options, while a Pentagon spokesperson didn’t immediately comment on the matter.

As of last summer, Iran had accumulated roughly 972 pounds of uranium enriched up to 60%, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, placing it a short technical step from weapons-grade levels. Much of that material is believed to remain buried at nuclear sites struck in US operations during the 12-day war.

US officials have said retrieving Iran’s highly enriched uranium remains under consideration, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt noting earlier this week that it is “an option on the table.”