What is Iran's Pickaxe Mountain and why does Trump say he wants to bomb it?

August 1, 2026

US President Donald Trump has threatened multiple times to bomb Pickaxe Mountain, a suspected underground nuclear facility in Iran located near the Natanz enrichment complex. The site, buried approximately 100 meters underground, is believed to potentially house a replacement facility for centrifuge assembly operations damaged in 2020, though Iran denies any nuclear activity occurs there. Satellite imagery shows ongoing construction work including tunnel entrances, perimeter fencing, and access roads, with some tunnels partially filled to block ground access.

Who is affected

Iran's government and military
Iranian nuclear program personnel
The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran
Civilian populations near the Natanz nuclear complex and Pickaxe Mountain
International community monitoring Iran's nuclear activities
US military forces potentially involved in strikes
Israel (which has previously conducted strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities)

What action is being taken

Construction work is taking place at Pickaxe Mountain, including work on access roads and tunnel entrances
Iran has partially filled two eastern tunnels to block ground access
Iran is conducting internal excavation and hardening of the facility to protect against aerial attacks
The US is monitoring the site through satellite imagery

Why it matters

This matters because Pickaxe Mountain represents one of the remaining Iranian nuclear sites that hasn't been struck by the US or Israel, and there are unproven claims it may house highly enriched uranium that could be further processed for nuclear weapons. The facility's construction demonstrates Iran's efforts to protect its nuclear program by building deeper, more fortified sites that are increasingly difficult to destroy through conventional military strikes. Trump's repeated threats represent potential escalation in US-Iran tensions over Iran's nuclear capabilities and could lead to significant military action in the region.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article (beyond Trump's threats to potentially bomb the site "pretty soon" if no deal is made with Iran).

Read full article from source: BBC