The New York Post has revealed that the U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) is contemplating a highly complex military scenario aimed at seizing or destroying Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium, should diplomatic efforts fail to reach an agreement on Iran's nuclear program.
The publication cited military experts and an informed official, noting that the potential plan would necessitate the deployment of thousands of troops, alongside special operations forces, military engineering units, and explosive ordnance disposal teams. Their mission would be to secure nuclear facilities and access enriched materials for either removal or destruction.
According to the report, potential targets include the Fordow and Isfahan facilities, with the operation described as possibly one of the most complex military undertakings in modern history, due to the fortified nature and expansive scope of these sites.
The report further highlighted that U.S. forces would need to establish a security cordon around the installations and secure supply and evacuation lines while simultaneously clearing mines and fortifications, which are believed to have been bolstered by Iran at certain nuclear sites.
The New York Post quoted Joseph Rodgers, Deputy Director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, asserting that the removal of Iran's nuclear stockpile might necessitate military action should negotiations collapse, describing the mission as potentially "the most complex in military history."
The report also added that Mount Asfeh near Natanz remains one of the possible targets, with the destruction of this facility being more plausible than attempting to seize its contents, given the increasing Iranian fortifications and defensive measures.