Did US try to steal uranium in Iran under guise of F-15 pilot rescue mission, 170 plane operation raises questions

Iran on Monday alleged that the United States used its rescue mission for a downed F-15E fighter jet crew member as a cover for a covert attempt to “steal enriched uranium,” raising questions over the true objective of the high-risk operation inside Iranian territory. The accusation came even as US President Donald Trump said the mission successfully rescued the stranded crew member and described it as one of the most daring operations in US history, with Washington maintaining it was a complex, intelligence-led extraction.

At a White House briefing, Trump said 21 aircraft were deployed in the operation to recover the first crew member, while a significantly larger force of 155 aircraft was used in the second rescue mission. The operation included four bombers, 64 fighter jets, 48 refuelling tankers and 13 rescue aircraft.

The US government stated that MC-130 Commando II transport aircraft became immobilised in sand during the mission and were subsequently destroyed.


The F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran on April 3, 2026, marking the first US crewed aircraft lost in Iranian territory during the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the US and Israel, now in its second month.

Both crew members ejected safely, but the weapons systems officer, a colonel, was injured and remained stranded in the Zagros Mountains for nearly 48 hours before being rescued. Trump reiterated earlier in the day that the missing crew member had been successfully recovered.

Iran dismisses operation as deception

Iran’s military rejected the US account, calling the mission “a deception and escape mission” and insisting it had been “completely foiled.” Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said there were “many questions and uncertainties” surrounding the operation.

Baqaei questioned the reported rescue location, stating that the area in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province was far from where US forces allegedly attempted to land in central Iran. He added that the possibility of the operation being a cover to extract enriched uranium “should not be ignored.”

Iranian authorities also claimed that several US aircraft were hit during the mission and forced to make emergency landings in Isfahan province, alleging that the US carried out heavy bombardment of the downed jet.

US cites intelligence-led extraction and deception tactics

US officials maintained that the mission was a complex, intelligence-driven rescue effort. According to NBC News, the Central Intelligence Agency conducted a covert “deception campaign” to mislead Iranian forces while locating the missing crew member.

A senior US official said that while Iranian forces were “confused and uncertain,” the agency used its capabilities to locate and recover the stranded American.

(With inputs from Agencies)