U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened military action against what he described as a previously undisclosed underground facility near Iran’s Natanz nuclear site, warning that the United States would strike if Tehran fails to grant access within 10 days.
According to Al Jazeera News, Trump’s comments have drawn renewed attention to Washington’s earlier claims that Iran’s nuclear programme had been significantly curtailed.
Speaking to reporters, Trump alleged that the underground complex, which he referred to as “Pickaxe Mountain,” is located less than 50 kilometres from Iran’s main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz. He claimed the site contains advanced centrifuge components and high-speed testing equipment that could provide Iran with a covert route to producing weapons-grade nuclear material.
“We know exactly what’s under that mountain, and it’s not a peaceful research project,” Trump said.
“If Iran does not fully open every hatch and tunnel within 10 days, we will strike Pickaxe Mountain with a force they have never seen. Make no mistake, that facility will cease to exist.”
The president’s warning marks a significant escalation in U.S. rhetoric toward Iran, coming just two months after senior administration officials said expanded verification measures and sanctions had effectively limited Tehran’s nuclear capabilities.
According to the report, the existence of the alleged facility has raised questions over whether there were intelligence gaps or whether the site had remained concealed despite previous assessments.
Al Jazeera also reported that satellite imagery showed new ventilation shafts and reinforced concrete construction at the location as recently as March. Analysts cited in the report said the site’s position beneath more than 200 metres of solid rock would likely require multiple bunker-busting munitions to penetrate, raising doubts about the feasibility of a successful strike.
Meanwhile, unnamed European diplomats expressed concern that any pre-emptive U.S. military action could derail ongoing efforts to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the international agreement aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear programme.
Iran had not officially responded to Trump’s remarks at the time of the report, although state media reportedly dismissed the ultimatum as election-year rhetoric.
