President Donald Trump is considering a potential military operation to remove close to 1,000 pounds of uranium from Iran, a move that could require American forces to operate inside the country for an extended period, U.S. officials told The Wall Street Journal on Sunday.

No final decision has been made, according to those officials, who said the president is still evaluating the risks to American troops. At the same time, they noted that Trump is generally receptive to the plan, seeing it as a possible way to ensure Iran is permanently prevented from developing nuclear weapons.

In parallel, Trump has urged his team to push for Iran to hand over the uranium as part of any agreement to end the conflict, according to a source familiar with his thinking. In discussions with allies, the president has made it clear that Iran cannot retain the material and has even raised the possibility of taking it by force if negotiations fail.

Efforts to mediate between Washington and Tehran have involved countries such as Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt. However, direct talks between the United States and Iran aimed at ending the war have not yet taken place.

“It’s the job of the Pentagon to make preparations in order to give the commander-in-chief maximum optionality. It does not mean the president has made a decision,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. The Pentagon declined to comment, and a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command also declined to comment.

Prior to the wave of joint Israeli and American strikes carried out last June, Iran was believed to possess over 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent, along with nearly 200 kilograms enriched to 20 percent—levels that can be further processed into weapons-grade material at 90 percent.

Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, has indicated that much of this uranium is likely stored at two of the three facilities targeted in those strikes: a subterranean tunnel system at the Isfahan nuclear site and a stockpile located at Natanz.

According to the source familiar with the discussions, Trump and some of his allies believe a focused operation could successfully secure the uranium without significantly prolonging the war, allowing the United States to wrap up its involvement by mid-April.

The president has also conveyed to those around him that he wants to avoid a drawn-out conflict. Some senior advisers are encouraging him to shift attention to domestic issues, particularly the upcoming midterm elections, where polling suggests Republicans could face notable setbacks.

As U.S. forces continue their strikes against Iranian targets, Trump has been receiving ongoing briefings about the logistical and operational challenges tied to such a mission, officials said. At the same time, the military is preparing additional contingency plans, including deploying rapid-response Marine units and paratroopers from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division to the region, potentially to secure key strategic positions such as islands off Iran’s southern coastline.

Last Saturday, Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz or risk attacks on its energy infrastructure.

He has since extended that deadline twice to allow diplomatic efforts to continue, most recently on Thursday, when he granted Iran an additional ten days.

Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said on Friday that the United States is awaiting Iran’s reply to a 15-point proposal aimed at ending the war, adding that he expects negotiations between the sides to begin this week.

{Matzav.com}