US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to bomb an under-construction Iranian nuclear site known as Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, or 'Pickaxe Mountain,' located near Iran's Natanz nuclear enrichment facility. The site remains untouched despite ongoing digging by Iran, and the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has never gained access to it.
Key Takeaways
President Donald Trump has threatened to strike an under-construction Iranian nuclear site known as Pickaxe Mountain. The facility is believed to be deeply underground near Natanz, potentially challenging even America's most powerful bombs.
- Trump acknowledged Iran may have moved centrifuges to the site
- Facility spans 2.7 square kilometers and is protected by anti-aircraft batteries
- Experts suggest it could be between 80 meters and 100 meters deep
- US has GBU-57 bomb capable of penetrating at least 60 meters
- Iran insists on peaceful nuclear program but concerns remain among Western leaders
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▼Source Claims Check
1 Difference FoundAll 4 publishers report consistent facts across 2 key claims. 1 point of difference noted.
| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose Of Pickaxe Mountain | 1 Difference | Majority reports enrichment purpose; Iran denies any nuclear activity | ▼ |
| Depth Of Pickaxe Mountain | Broad Agreement | between 80-100 meters deep | |
| Construction Start Date | Broad Agreement | started in 2020 after Natanz fire |
Purpose Of Pickaxe Mountain
▼Majority reports enrichment purpose; Iran denies any nuclear activity
Depth Of Pickaxe Mountain
Broad Agreementbetween 80-100 meters deep
Construction Start Date
Broad Agreementstarted in 2020 after Natanz fire
This analysis is AI-generated and may not perfectly represent each source's reporting. Always read the original articles for full context.
According to multiple reports, Trump acknowledged on Tuesday that Iran may have moved centrifuges to Pickaxe Mountain, potentially at a depth that could challenge even America's most powerful bombs. 'We'll be hitting that area... probably pretty soon. And there's not a thing they can do about it,' he said.
The facility spans 2.7 square kilometers in Iran's arid Central Plateau and is protected by anti-aircraft batteries, fencing, and the Iranian paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. Experts suggest that Iran is likely building a facility at a depth of between 80 meters and 100 meters, with some indicating it could be even deeper.
Experts agree that the size of the project indicates Iran will likely use the underground facility to enrich uranium and build centrifuges. The US has developed the GBU-57 bomb, capable of penetrating at least 60 meters of earth before detonating. However, it is unclear whether such a bomb would damage a facility as deep as Pickaxe Mountain.
Trump also mentioned that Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium had reached nearly weapons-grade levels of 60% before the 2025 strikes. Since then, Iran has not been known to restart enrichment, and its stockpile is believed to still be at the bombed enrichment sites.
According to Time, construction of the Pickaxe Mountain facility started in 2020 after a fire at Natanz, which Iran's nuclear body argued had been caused by an act of sabotage. The underground halls were intended to replace the destroyed above-ground advanced centrifuge assembly facility at the Natanz site.
Iran insists that areas around its only nuclear power plant at Bushehr have come under attack during the war, though no damage was done to its Russian-run reactor. Tehran also claimed that the US attacked a cleared area where it plans to build the Darkhovin nuclear plant, although the IAEA stated there was no atomic material there during their last inspection.
The only nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates, its four-reactor facility at Barakah, has also been targeted during the war. Iran has warned that it would take unspecified 'required actions' to respond to the Darkhovin attack.
How this summary was created
This summary synthesizes reporting from 4 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.