Nikki Haley Says Special Forces Might Be Needed for Iran Uranium as Tensions Continue [WATCH]

Former U.S. ambassador and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley said Sunday that the United States may ultimately need to deploy special forces to secure Iran’s uranium stockpile, describing the potential mission as dangerous but necessary amid escalating tensions, as reported by The New York Post.

Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Haley outlined what she believes could be required to neutralize Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

“That’s probably what it’s going to come down to. I mean, this is a special force mission. It would take about a week to ten days to get done. They know how to do it. It’s dangerous,” Haley said.

“It’s not something that we can, you know, just sit and think is casual. I think they have to do it. But once they do that, they’re taking away literally one arm of the Iranian regime to where they no longer can threaten any of our allies,” she added.

BASH: “Do you believe that the U.S. military special forces and those who support Special Forces need to go in and extract the enriched uranium?”

HALEY: “I think that’s probably what it’s going to come down to. I mean, this is a special force mission. It would take about a week… pic.twitter.com/8B1i7vU1It

— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) April 12, 2026

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Haley’s comments come as President Donald Trump weighs options regarding Iran’s nuclear program.

Reports indicate the administration has considered authorizing a high-risk operation aimed at retrieving enriched uranium believed to be stored deep underground following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities using bunker-buster munitions.

However, Trump has not approved such an operation.

Instead, the president has issued public warnings to Iran, stating that U.S. surveillance is actively monitoring nuclear sites and that further action could be taken if Iran attempts to access or move its stockpiles.

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Experts have warned that if Iran were to fully enrich its uranium to 90%, it could produce enough material for at least 10 nuclear weapons.

Iranian state media has reported that the country has deployed naval special forces along its southern coast amid concerns that the United States could initiate a ground operation.

At the same time, the Trump administration has moved thousands of additional troops into the Middle East to reinforce existing forces.

President Trump has not ruled out the possibility of deploying ground troops. In a recent statement, he said, “I don’t have the yips with respect to boots on the ground.”

The developments follow a short-lived cease-fire announced by the president last week after warning that a “whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not agree to terms with the United States.

Negotiations were subsequently held in Islamabad, Pakistan, but Vice President JD Vance announced Saturday that no agreement had been reached and U.S. officials departed.

Following the collapse of talks, Trump declared that the United States would implement a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz until Iran ceases efforts to impose tolls on shipping passing through the critical waterway.

“In many ways, the points that were agreed to are better than us continuing our Military Operations to conclusion, but all of those points don’t matter compared to allowing Nuclear Power to be in the hands of such volatile, difficult, unpredictable people,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

“That doesn’t matter because they were very unyielding as to the single most important issue.”

“In many ways, the points that were agreed to are better than us continuing our Military Operations to conclusion, but all of those points don’t matter compared to allowing Nuclear Power to be in the hands of such volatile, difficult, unpredictable people.” – @realDonaldTrump… pic.twitter.com/DDK0Kg1Qbj

— Nick Touran (@whatisnuclear) April 12, 2026

Haley, who ran against Trump in the 2024 Republican primary, has generally supported the administration’s approach to Iran.

She also made clear during the interview that she is not planning another presidential campaign in the near future.

“I will not,” Haley said when asked about a potential 2028 run.

Meanwhile, Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) raised concerns about the feasibility of a special forces operation to retrieve uranium. Speaking on the same program, Warner described the risks involved.

“These are canisters, 1,000 pounds, very volatile, it would not be some simple operation. It would take 10,000 troops on the ground guarding a perimeter,” Warner said.

“We’d have to send special operators in, and the Iranians could then bomb their own facility, potentially trapping our troops, and this volatile uranium would be very, very dangerous.”

The situation remains fluid as U.S. officials continue to evaluate military and diplomatic options related to Iran’s nuclear program.

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