The decision to abandon the operation was made after assessing the risks of a potential large-scale conflict.
Donald Trump / © Associated Press
US President Donald Trump has paused preparations for a potential large-scale ground operation in Iran, which, according to media reports, could have been aimed at seizing stockpiles of highly enriched uranium.
This is reported by CNN, citing sources familiar with the discussions.
According to the TV channel, at the end of May, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Kane, urgently arrived at the headquarters of the US Central Command in Florida, where he was presented with the details of a possible operation plan.
After that, he reported to Donald Trump on several possible courses of action. However, the US President decided to put the preparations on hold after military warnings about serious consequences.
According to sources, the US military warned that such an operation could lead to significant personnel losses, a large-scale Iranian response, and severe shocks to the global economy.
According to CNN, the implementation of the plan might have required the involvement of hundreds of American special forces and, in fact, a full-scale ground operation.
“Essentially, we would have had to invade Iran,” one of the TV channel’s sources noted.
A particular challenge is that the main stockpiles of highly enriched uranium, according to media reports, are located at facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, which are deep underground and have a complex defense system.
According to IAEA estimates, Iran possesses approximately 970 pounds (over 440 kg) of highly enriched uranium, which, if further enriched, could be used to create up to ten nuclear warheads.
US intelligence claims to have an idea of the location of the main nuclear material stockpiles thanks to satellite surveillance.
Against the backdrop of these events, the US and Iran have exchanged strikes in recent days following the incident of the downing of an American AH-64 Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. Despite this, the parties continue diplomatic contacts regarding a potential nuclear deal.
According to Trump, negotiations have approached a potential agreement that could involve the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz for international shipping.
Earlier, it was reported that global oil prices began to fall after US President Donald Trump canceled military strikes on Iran.
We previously reported that Trump boasted that he had “won” the war with Iran and announced a peace deal in the near future.
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