Key facts
- President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb an underground Iranian nuclear facility called "Pickaxe Mountain."
- The facility is located near the Natanz uranium enrichment complex.
- Iran denies conducting undeclared nuclear work at the site and states its program serves peaceful energy purposes.
- Israel claims Iran moved enriched uranium and advanced centrifuges to Pickaxe Mountain after previous attacks.
- Trump acknowledged that the US could not confirm Israel's assertion regarding nuclear transfers.
- The facility is built beneath a mountain and reinforced to withstand air attacks.
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb an underground Iranian nuclear facility known as "Pickaxe Mountain," located near the Natanz uranium enrichment complex. Tehran has warned that any strike on its nuclear facilities would expand the regional war. Israel claims Iran transferred enriched uranium and advanced centrifuges to the mountain after previous US and Israeli attacks damaged other nuclear sites, though Trump acknowledged that Washington could not confirm this assertion.
Pickaxe Mountain is situated approximately 1.6km south of the Natanz facility. Construction began in 2020 beneath Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, a mountain whose name translates to "pickaxe," following an explosion at a Natanz centrifuge assembly workshop. Iran informed the International Atomic Energy Agency that the new facility would manufacture centrifuges for uranium enrichment. Satellite imagery reveals tunnel systems, a security perimeter, and concrete-reinforced entrances designed to withstand air attacks. Work at the site has reportedly accelerated since the US and Israel bombed Iran's nuclear infrastructure in June 2025, targeting facilities in Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow.
Despite the previous attacks, subsequent US and UN assessments indicated that parts of Iran's nuclear program survived. Current focus from Washington and Israel is on Iran's stockpile of approximately 450kg of highly enriched uranium. Trump, however, expressed uncertainty when questioned about Iran transferring advanced centrifuges to Pickaxe Mountain, stating, "We don't have it on record."