U.S. weighs sending special forces to seize Iran's nuclear stockpile

The big picture: Any operation to seize the material would likely require U.S. or Israeli troops on Iranian soil, navigating heavily fortified underground facilities in the middle of a war.

• It remains unclear whether it would be an American, Israeli or joint mission.
• It would likely only take place after both countries are confident Iran's military can no longer mount a serious threat to the forces involved.

Behind the scenes: At a congressional briefing Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was asked whether Iran's enriched uranium would be secured. "People are going to have to go and get it," he said, without specifying who.

• An Israeli defense official said Trump and his team are seriously considering sending special operations units into Iran for specific missions.
• A U.S. official said the administration has discussed two options: removing the material from Iran entirely, or bringing in nuclear experts to dilute it on-site.
• The mission would likely involve special operators alongside scientists, possibly from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Between the lines: Two sources with knowledge of the issue said such operations were part of a menu of options presented to Trump before the war.

• NBC News reported on Friday that Trump has discussed the idea of deploying a small contingent of U.S. troops in Iran for specific strategic purposes.

The U.S. official laid out the operational challenge of securing Iran's uranium: "The first question is, where is it? The second question is, how do we get to it and how do we get physical control?"

• "And then, it would be a decision of the president and the Department of War, CIA, as to whether we wanted to physically transport it or dilute it on premises."

What they're saying: Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday that ground troops were possible — but only "for a very good reason."

• "If we ever did that, [the Iranians] would be so decimated that they wouldn't be able to fight on the ground level," he said.
• Asked specifically whether troops might go in to secure nuclear material, Trump didn't rule it out. "At some point maybe we will. We haven't gone after it. We wouldn't do it now. Maybe we will do it later."
• White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Axios that Trump "wisely keeps all options available to him open, and does not rule things out."

The intrigue: Beyond the uranium, administration officials tell Axios there has also been discussion of seizing Kharg Island, a strategic terminal responsible for roughly 90% of Iran's crude oil exports.

Zoom in: The U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities last June buried Iran's uranium stockpile under rubble. The Iranians themselves haven't been able to reach it since, U.S. and Israeli officials say.

• The strikes also destroyed nearly all of Iran's centrifuges, and there's no evidence that enrichment has resumed.
• U.S. and Israeli officials say most of the stockpile sits in the underground tunnels of the nuclear facility in Isfahan, while the rest is split between Fordow and Natanz.
• In the opening days of the war, U.S. and Israel conducted strikes on Natanz and Isfahan that appeared aimed at sealing the entrances, likely to prevent any material from being moved.

Zoom out: The U.S. and Israel see Iran's 450 kilograms of 60%-enriched uranium as a serious threat, as it would take only weeks to enrich it to weapons grade.

• If the entire stockpile reached 90% purity, it would be enough material for 11 nuclear bombs.

The bottom line: "Boots on the ground for Trump is not the same as what it means for the media," a senior U.S. official said.

• "Small special ops raids — not a big force going in," another source added.
• "What has been discussed hasn't been thought of in terms of boots on the ground," a third source said. "People think Fallujah. That's not what has been discussed."