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IAEA Flags 200 Kg of Iran’s 60% Uranium at Isfahan as U.S. Weighs Ground Options

Military planning now contemplates risky tunnel seizures that could demand sizable troop deployments.

Overview

  • IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said roughly 200 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% is likely still concentrated at Isfahan, with Iran blocking inspector access since last year’s strikes.
  • The Isfahan tunnel complex appears largely intact after the June attacks, and officials say Iranian teams cleared debris to reenter underground areas where the stockpile is believed stored.
  • Current and former U.S. officials told CNN that securing or destroying the material could require more than a small special-operations team due to the site’s depth, defenses, and radiological hazards.
  • Discussions have included JSOC-led infiltration, potential coordination with Israeli commandos, specialized render-safe units, outer security forces, and dedicated air support, with logistics described as prohibitive.
  • Flight data reviewed by CNN shows at least six MC-130J aircraft operating from RAF Mildenhall, and President Trump has publicly raised the possibility of sending U.S. ground troops as the IAEA notes it has no credible sign of a coordinated weapons program.