Frustrated by Iran, Trump at last seizes enriched uranium – but from Venezuela

The Guardian reports that the U.S. Department of Energy announced the removal of 13.5 kilograms of highly enriched uranium from a legacy research reactor in Venezuela in a joint operation with the UK and Venezuela, marking Trump's first successful uranium seizure operation—though not from Iran, his stated priority. The article is bylined to Tom Phillips in Caracas and includes direct quotes from U.S. officials, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and specific operational details (uranium transported from a site 15km from Caracas to South Carolina), demonstrating solid sourcing; the headline's sardonic framing ("but from Venezuela") signals editorial perspective but doesn't undermine the factual reporting. Independent search results show Reuters corroborating Trump's stated goal of obtaining Iranian uranium (408kg held by Tehran) and reveal complex, ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Iran over both uranium and broader peace terms, adding context that this Venezuelan operation may represent a tactical win within a broader stalled Iranian nuclear strategy. Watch for developments in Trump's Iran negotiations—Reuters reports key demands remain unaddressed, and PBS indicates Trump has threatened renewed military action if talks fail—which could reshape the significance of this Venezuelan uranium removal.