US Military Prepares to Seize Iran’s Enriched Uranium as Part of Upcoming Deal
The US military is discussing contingency plans to secure Iran’s highly enriched uranium as part of a potential deal expected to be signed in the coming days.
Both Washington and Tehran are on the verge of signing a preliminary deal that will pause the fighting for 60 days, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and lift the US naval blockade on Iran while deferring negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program to a later stage.
Iran’s Enriched Uranium
As the US and Iran edge closer to signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that will initiate a 60-day negotiation process, a senior administration official revealed details about the terms of the preliminary deal, according to CBS News.
During a phone briefing on Friday, the official told reporters that Iran’s enriched uranium would be “destroyed on site and then taken out of the country” under the terms of the deal. He added that there will be a “technical process to figure that out.”
According to the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) estimates, Iran possesses more than 440 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium – dangerously close to the 90% weapons-grade purity.
The US bombed Iran’s three key nuclear facilities – Natanz, Fordo, and Isfahan – in June 2025, but it remains unclear how much of the stockpile has survived the attack. IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi believes that the majority of Iran’s highly enriched uranium (over 200 kg) is probably still stored at the Isfahan nuclear facility, while some of it remains at Natanz.
Contingency Plans
As part of routine contingency planning, US military planners are discussing contingencies to help secure and remove Iran’s nuclear materials in case an agreement is reached, US officials told CBS News.
Although battlefields and political developments will dictate the trajectory of the talks, the preliminary discussions focus on how the Pentagon could cooperate with the Department of Energy to seize Tehran’s highly enriched uranium.
One scenario involves deploying US troops to several Middle Eastern countries to support a rapid response operation. This would allow the Department of Energy’s specialized teams, operating alongside American military personnel and other US government agencies, to enter Iran and locate, secure and remove stockpiles of enriched uranium.
According to the officials, this echoes a previous plan, in which the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Emergency Support Team (NEST) would work with US Special Operations forces and the Army’s 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command to remove the nuclear materials.
Nuclear Negotiations
Earlier in June, US President Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held consultations with nuclear experts at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Axios reported at the time.
A team of nearly 100 technical experts is ready to play a role in nuclear negotiations if the US and Iran make progress in the preliminary deal. This team will be tasked with developing a plan to remove Iran’s nuclear material, further cap its enrichment program, and verify compliance.
Forced Seizure
Seizing Iran’s highly enriched uranium has been one of Trump’s main objectives. He has repeatedly floated the idea of taking over the Iranian uranium stockpile, either by negotiations or by force.
According to CNN, citing two sources, the US military made plans last month to send ground troops into Iran to forcibly seize its highly enriched uranium. US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine briefed Trump on the options for the operation.
However, the US President paused the plan due to warnings against Iranian retaliation, the expansion of the war, and the potential for a significant number of US casualties, one of the sources said.
Imminent Deal
Pakistan – the primary mediator in US-Iran talks – confirmed on Friday that both sides are close to finalizing a peace deal. “We can confirm that a final, agreed upon text of the peace deal has been reached and Pakistan is now working closely with both sides to finalize the next steps. Peace has never been this close as it is now,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif posted on X.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also said that the “Islamabad memorandum of understanding has never been closer,” unveiling some details about the imminent deal.
Speaking to Iranian state TV, Araghchi said the deal consists of two stages, with the first involving a 14-point MoU that is in its final stages. It will reopen the Strait of Hormuz, lift the naval blockade, end hostilities on all fronts, including in Lebanon. It also includes a commitment not to initiate any new war or resort to threats or the use of force, he said.
According to Araghchi, the second stage of the deal will discuss the future of Iran’s nuclear program and the unfreezing of Iranian assets.
