US President Donald Trump revealed that he once considered a plan to send US troops to Iran to extract its enriched uranium reserves, but ultimately canceled it as tensions rose again in the Middle East along with ongoing diplomatic talks.Trump said the plan was rejected because it was considered “too risky” and would require widespread military mobilization. He said the operation would take at least two weeks and would involve the delivery of significant amounts of military hardware to Iranian territory. “I didn’t want to be like Jimmy Carter,” he said, referring to the former president’s failed attempt to free 52 U.S. embassy staffers taken hostage by Iran in 1980.Referring to the nuclear material as “nuclear dust”, Trump said that Pentagon planners had examined several methods to recover the stockpile.While the proposal was shelved, Trump said the United States still had the capability to carry out such an operation. “We can get it right now,” he said, “I don’t think they could stop us if we wanted, but there’s no reason to. It’s complicated.” The US President further noted that the material is currently safe and does not require immediate action, and said that Washington does not need a formal agreement with Tehran to take control of the enriched uranium.Trump also said he was not willing to hold a direct meeting with Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, although he did not rule out the possibility if a comprehensive diplomatic understanding was reached between the two countries. He said, “If it happens… I will respect it.”Islamic cleric Mojtaba Khamenei, 54, assumed supreme leadership of Iran after his father was assassinated in a joint US-Israeli military strike. Trump said that despite US and Israeli precision operations targeting Khamenei’s immediate family members, he still expected professional conduct from the Iranian leader. “We killed his father, his wife and his son, so maybe I’m not his favorite person...But in some circles, he actually has a very good reputation,” Trump said.In a parallel development, a report from Axios said senior US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited Oak Ridge, Tennessee, on Thursday for consultations with technical experts expected to play a key role in upcoming nuclear talks with Iran.The White House is working toward a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Tehran aimed at halting hostilities and pursuing comprehensive nuclear talks. However, officials and regional mediators involved in the process say the two sides remain deeply divided over key elements of the proposed agreement.Although talks are said to be in their final stages, officials have cautioned that the chances of success remain uncertain. A US official said the Oak Ridge visit should not be seen as a guarantee of an agreement, but rather a sign that discussions have entered a more serious phase.Key sticking points The slow pace of progress continues, with the Trump administration pushing for a strict 60-day deadline to deplete Iran’s enriched uranium, while Tehran is pushing for a 90-day deadline.Meanwhile, the chaos in the Middle East has already crossed 3 months, now approaching the 100-day mark. The conflict began on 28 February, when the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran. Following the attack, the country retaliated by seizing the vital Strait of Hormuz, disrupting 20% of global oil supplies, disrupting economies.