5 hours ago
Last Updated:June 26, 2025, 19:12 IST
Intelligence sources believe that 400 kg of enriched uranium may have been transferred and concealed in the tunnels of Pickaxe Mountain in the hours leading up to the US operation
News18
0A deepening cloud of suspicion is once again looming over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and this time, it’s swirling around a place known as ‘Pickaxe Mountain’. Tucked away in the heart of rugged terrain near Natanz, this fortified underground facility has sparked global concern, with claims that even the most advanced stealth aircraft, the B-2 bomber, may be unable to destroy it.
According to a report by The Mirror, this remote site could be Iran’s most secure nuclear storage facility to date. The fears stem not just from its sheer depth, estimated to be around 100 metres underground, but from fresh satellite imagery suggesting frantic activity just before a recent US airstrike.
400 Kg Enriched Uranium Hidden?
Intelligence sources now believe that up to 400 kg of enriched uranium may have been transferred and concealed in the tunnels of Pickaxe Mountain in the hours leading up to the US operation. Lorries were seen making hurried trips in and out of the area, fueling suspicions that Iran managed to shield vital nuclear material before the bombs fell.
To put that figure into perspective – 400 kg of enriched uranium, depending on its purity, is potentially enough for multiple nuclear warheads.
What makes this site particularly alarming is its strategic design. Experts say Pickaxe Mountain hosts at least four tunnel entrances, strategically spread across different faces of the rocky massif, and all leading deep underground. Analysts suggest that even precision-guided bunker busters might fail to destroy the facility entirely. “This is no ordinary weapons storage area. It’s a fortress – engineered with survival in mind," one intelligence official reportedly said.
IAEA Denied Access, Tensions Soar
The Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), led by Director General Rafael Grossi, has raised flags over the site. Grossi confirmed that the agency formally requested details from Tehran regarding activities at Pickaxe, but received a blunt refusal. “They told us, ‘You have no business here’," he said in a recent briefing.
Grossi voiced concern that Iran may already be conducting undisclosed nuclear work inside the tunnels and demanded full access. So far, no inspection has been granted.
Iran Cuts Off IAEA, Citing Political Bias
In a defiant move, Iran’s Parliament has since passed a resolution labelling the IAEA as a “political tool" of the West and voted to suspend all cooperation. This unprecedented move threatens to cripple international nuclear oversight and dramatically escalates regional tensions.
Talks With US In Limbo
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts remain frozen. Donald Trump had claimed that earlier airstrikes destroyed at least three key Iranian nuclear sites. But with fresh evidence suggesting Iran outmaneuvered the attack, questions over Washington’s true impact are growing louder.
Trump recently hinted that nuclear talks between American and Iranian officials could resume “as early as next week". However, those efforts were derailed by the flare-up of hostilities between Israel and Iran – a conflict that, while currently under a fragile ceasefire, remains a ticking time bomb.
Location :Tehran, Iran
First Published:News world Pickaxe Mountain: Can US Bombers Destroy This Iranian Nuclear Site?
