Trump's grounds for concern: Will the US risk lives to take Iran's uranium?
The Middle East War is now in its 20th day, with a perceived split in US and Israeli strategy emerging. Donald Trump says Israel bombed Iran's gas field "without his knowledge". Then Trump, perhaps playing catch-up, threatened to "blow up" Iran's South …
The Debate · FRANCE 24 English
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Show Notes
The Middle East War is now in its 20th day, with a perceived split in US and Israeli strategy emerging. Donald Trump says Israel bombed Iran's gas field "without his knowledge". Then Trump, perhaps playing catch-up, threatened to "blow up" Iran's South Pars gas field if Iran strikes Qatar; a move that experts say would literally explode the region.
There's also another issue simmering away: what to do with Iran's enriched uranium? Experts say this is the next big decision for Trump. Seizing Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium could well require the "largest special forces operation in history".
When US and Israeli jets bombed Iran's nuclear facilities last June, the regime was thought to have over 400 kg of 60 percent6enriched uranium. This is near weapons grade. Weapons-grade uranium is enriched to 90 percent. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, half of Iran's 60 percent enriched uranium is stored underground at Isfahan. US intelligence believes there's a "very narrow access point" through which this material could be retrieved.
We discuss this next possible phase in the war, and what it could mean going forward.
Produced by Mark Owen, Rebecca Gnignati, Juliette Laffont, Ilayda Habip, Charles Wente.