Iran raises suspicion of ‘uranium theft’ plot after clashes with US forces

Recent US military operations inside Iran may have been meant as cover to seize the country's enriched uranium, a spokesman said following a series of clashes linked to attempts to rescue downed American personnel.

There were "many ambiguities" surrounding the operations, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told a Monday press conference, adding that the location where a US pilot was reportedly present in southwestern Iran was far from the area where US forces tried to deploy or conduct operations, reportedly in Isfahan, central Iran.

"This raises the possibility that the operation may have been a deceptive plan to steal enriched uranium, which cannot be ignored," he said, comparing the operation to a failed 1980 US mission to rescue over 50 Americans taken hostage in the 1979 revolution.

Enriched uranium has long been a key issue between Iran and the US, with Washington suspicious that Tehran is trying to enrich uranium to build a nuclear bomb, a charge Iran denies.

On April 2, Iran said it had downed a US fighter jet in the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province. US officials later confirmed that an F-15E had gone down in the area, with one crew member rescued but another initially remained unaccounted for.

Iranian media reported that US forces deployed helicopters into the region to recover the second crew member, but at least two helicopters were targeted by Iranian forces during the operation.

Clashes later expanded to Isfahan province, where US teams attempting a rescue were also targeted, according to Iranian media.

Earlier reports by Iranian outlets, including the Defa Press Agency, said Iranian units destroyed multiple US assets, including an HC-130 special operations aircraft, Black Hawk helicopters and several drones, and that fighting continued on the ground between Iranian forces and US personnel.

US media, including Fox News, reported that several American service members were injured in the operation.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM), however, said Sunday that American forces successfully recovered both service members from inside Iran during separate search and rescue missions.

US President Donald Trump also said the aircraft was brought down by a shoulder-fired missile in what he called a "lucky" strike, adding that the rescue of one crew member was initially delayed due to concerns the pilot's radio transmission could have been an Iranian trap. He said around 200 Special Forces personnel were involved in the mission.