Recent satellite images indicate that Iran has fortified its defenses around tunnel entrances at Pickaxe Mountain, a site long linked to nuclear activities and often mentioned by former President Donald Trump as a potential target. This development comes as Russia and China vetoed a U.S.-backed Security Council proposal designed to maintain international oversight of sanctions imposed on Iran.
A report by the Institute for Science and International Security released Thursday analyzed satellite imagery from September 11 and noted that earth barriers remain along roads to the western tunnel openings at Pickaxe Mountain, situated near the Natanz nuclear complex. The institute suggested that the ongoing restricted access implies the facility isn’t being used for typical operations, even as important equipment or materials are believed to be stored there.
The report also highlighted that additional soil has been placed over one of the western tunnel entrances, as well as covering other entrances that were first constructed in 2007. This added earth not only reinforces the protection of these openings but also serves to enhance their resilience against potential air strikes.
The findings come shortly after Trump warned about activity at Pickaxe Mountain, suggesting that Iran should tread carefully, as he indicated the U.S. would react severely if necessary. He even indicated in a past interview that if diplomatic efforts fail, the U.S. is capable of neutralizing the site.
Pickaxe Mountain, located about two kilometers from Natanz, features numerous tunnels leading into a deeply buried complex. Construction started in 2020 in response to sabotage that impacted an advanced centrifuge facility at Natanz, with Iranian officials later asserting a replacement underground facility was under development for advanced centrifuge production. Analysts speculate that parts of this facility could be buried over 100 meters beneath the surface, while Iran maintains that no nuclear activities occur there.
Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, indicated that some experts believe the chance for a direct military strike on Pickaxe may have passed, given how entrenched the facility has become. He stressed, however, that the U.S. still has military options, even if hitting the complex itself proves challenging. Instead, he suggested that one strategy could involve blocking the access points to elevate the costs for Iran in trying to exploit the site.
In a related development, the same report noted signs of reconstruction at another critical Iranian facility, Taleghan 2, located at the Parchin military complex near Tehran. Satellite images from September 13 showed a tarp covering the area where a hardened site had been destroyed, masking work taking place beneath it. The report indicated that new concrete reinforcements were being constructed, presumably to offer more protection from aerial attacks, particularly after Israel targeted this facility previously.
Meanwhile, on the diplomatic front, the U.N. was engaged in a dispute surrounding Iran sanctions, with Russia and China vetoing a U.S.-drafted resolution that aimed to extend the mandate of a panel overseeing sanctions violations. Despite an overwhelming majority of votes in favor, the veto underscored significant divisions regarding the legal status of sanctions that were previously suspended under the 2015 nuclear agreement. U.S. representatives, including Ambassador Mike Waltz, reaffirmed the view that these sanctions remain in effect and expressed the importance of the expert panel in monitoring compliance.
Additionally, an independent U.N. fact-finding mission raised concerns regarding potential war crimes connected to U.S. strikes on Iranian civilian sites, while also stating that Iranian authorities might be guilty of crimes against humanity during their response to domestic protests. However, the mission’s findings are investigative and do not carry judicial implications. As of now, the Iranian U.N. mission has not provided comments on these developments.
