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

What Happened

US President Donald Trump has issued repeated threats to conduct airstrikes against the Pickaxe Mountain (Kuh-e Kolang) facility, a suspected underground nuclear site located south of the Natanz complex in Iran. Satellite imagery from 30 June 2026 indicates ongoing construction, including road work and tunnel excavation, following previous US and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure in 2025 and 2026. While the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) reports steady hardening of the site, which may be buried up to 100m underground, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei denied any nuclear activity at the location, characterizing the US threats as a pretext for aggression.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

Pickaxe Mountain represents a critical point of contention in the nuclear standoff between the US and Iran. Its extreme depth and potential role as a replacement for damaged centrifuge assembly facilities at Natanz make it a primary target for military planners, yet experts suggest that even advanced munitions like the GBU-57 bunker buster may struggle to fully neutralize the site due to its depth and unknown internal configuration.

Watch For

Monitor for further IAEA reporting regarding access to the site and any escalation in rhetoric or military posturing from the US administration regarding the facility's status. Additionally, track satellite evidence for changes in construction activity or vehicle movement that might indicate the facility has become operational.