Pickaxe Mountain, Site Near Natanz Facility, May Be Hiding Iran's Uranium
Despite US President Donald Trump's repeated claims of "complete obliteration" of Iran's nuclear facilities, nearly 400 kg of uranium enriched to 60 per cent purity, a level dangerously close to weapons-grade, remains unaccounted for. In the days following the US B-2 Bombers striking Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites in Iran, reports have emerged that Tehran's nuclear ambitions might not be over yet.
Add to that, US Vice President JD Vance 's statement that the stockpile was still in Iranian hands. In the middle of all this, attention has shifted to Pickaxe Mountain, a mysterious underground facility in Iran.
The site, near the Natanz nuclear facility, has drawn renewed attention after satellite images revealed a fortified tunnel system and expanded security perimeter. Intelligence analysts believe the site may be housing uranium that was moved out before US and Israeli strikes hit key nuclear locations.
Lines of cargo-style trucks were also spotted outside the Fordow facility right after the attacks.
UN nuclear watchdog, International Atomic Energy Agency, chief Rafael Grossi said Tehran has refused to explain what's happening at the site, "Since it is obvious it is in a place where numerous and important activities related to the program are taking place, we're asking them, what is this for? They are telling us, it's none of your business," as per The New York Post.
Mr Grossi added it "cannot be excluded" that the tunnels are storing undeclared material.
All About The Pickaxe Mountain Nuclear Site In Iran
Pickaxe Mountain is the informal name given to a fortified underground nuclear site near Natanz, already home to one of the country's main uranium enrichment facilities. The site is within the Zagros mountain range and consists of deep tunnels, bunkers, and an extended security perimeter. It is 145 km south of Fordow.
Satellite imagery has shown ongoing excavation, new access roads, and hardened entry points, all suggesting a high-value, highly secure installation.
It appears to be built to withstand airstrikes, including bunker-busting bombs. Defence analysts and nuclear experts believe the site could serve as a backup or concealed enrichment facility, or a storage location for uranium and sensitive equipment.
Impact Of US Strikes
A classified US report has found that President Donald Trump's airstrikes on Iran's nuclear sites didn't do much but set its programme back by a few months.
Officials told The New York Times that while two facilities were sealed off, underground structures remained intact and Iran retained most of its nuclear material, leaving it potentially six months away from building a bomb.
The findings contradict Trump's claim that the sites were "obliterated."
Tensions rose further Wednesday as Iran's parliament voted to suspend cooperation with the IAEA. Experts now warn that Iran may be ramping up uranium production at the secretive Pickaxe Mountain site. "A key question is whether Iran will, or maybe already has, secreted fissile material into Pickaxe or some other unknown facility," said Ben Taleblu of the Foundation for Defence of Democracies.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
31 minutes ago
- First Post
UK government condemns 'Death to IDF' chants at Glastonbury festival
British authorities are also investigating statements made by Irish rap trio Kneecap, who have been fiercely critical of Israel and its current military assault against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip read more Bob Vylan performs on the West Holts Stage on the fourth day of the Glastonbury festival at Worthy Farm in the village of Pilton in Somerset, south-west England. AFP A British punk-rap group faced escalating criticism on Sunday for using anti-Israel statements during the Glastonbury festival, which prompted a police investigation. During their Saturday set, Bob Vylan led fans in chants of 'Death, death to the IDF,' an allusion to the Israeli military's acronym. British authorities are also investigating statements made by Irish rap trio Kneecap, who have been fiercely critical of Israel and its current military assault against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD One of Kneecap's members wore a T-shirt dedicated to the Palestine Action Group, which is due to be outlawed under UK terror legislation. The UK government has 'strongly condemned' Bob Vylan's shouts, which event organisers claimed had 'very much crossed a line'. 'We are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence,' the festival said in a statement. Avon and Somerset police said Saturday that video evidence would be assessed by officers 'to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation'. 'Life is sacred' The chants about Israel's military, condemned by the Israeli embassy in London, were led by Bob Vylan's frontman Bobby Vylan. They were broadcast live on the BBC, which airs coverage of Britain's most popular music festival. 'I thought it's appalling, to be honest,' UK minister Wes Streeting said of the chants, adding that 'all life is sacred'. 'I think the BBC and Glastonbury have got questions to answer about how we saw such a spectacle on our screens,' he told Sky News. The Israel embassy said in a statement late Saturday 'it was 'deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But Streeting, Labour's health secretary, also took aim at the embassy, telling it to 'get your own house in order'. 'I think there's a serious point there by the Israeli embassy. I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously,' he said, citing settler violence in the West Bank. A spokesperson for the BBC said Vylan's comments were 'deeply offensive' and the broadcaster had 'no plans' to make the performance available on its on-demand service. 'A joke' Kneecap, who have made headlines in recent months with their pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel stance, led crowds in chanting abuse against UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Starmer, and other politicians, had said the band should not perform after its member Liam O'Hanna, known by his stage name Mo Chara, was charged with a terror offence. He appeared in court earlier this month accused of having displayed a Hezbollah flag while saying 'Up Hamas, Up Hezbollah' after a video resurfaced of a London concert last year. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Iran-backed Lebanese force Hezbollah and the Palestinian militant group Hamas are banned in the UK, and it is an offence to express support for them. O'Hanna has denied the charge and told the Guardian newspaper in an interview published on Friday that 'it was a joke – we're playing characters'. Kneecap regularly lead crowds in chants of 'Free Palestine' during their concerts. Their fans revere them for their anti-establishment stance and criticism of British imperialism but detractors call them extremists. The group apologised this year after a 2023 video emerged appearing to show one singer calling for the death of British Conservative lawmakers. Israel launched an offensive against Hamas in the Palestinian territory of Gaza after the Islamist militant group launched an attack that resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 56,412 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers these figures to be reliable. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Mint
33 minutes ago
- Mint
Narendra Modi says Amarnath Yatra to start on 3 July, hails India's social sector schemes
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the Amarnath Yatra, the annual Hindu pilgrimage in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, will begin on 3 July. Devotees of Lord Shiva travel to the Amarnath Temple shrine located near Pahalgam, where Pakistan-sponsored terrorists massacred 26 tourists on 22 April, prompting India to launch Operation Sindoor—air strikes to destroy terror infrastructure in the Islamic nation. In his monthly radio address 'Mann Ki Baat', Modi extended his best wishes to those who were going on pilgrimages such as the Amarnath Yatra and the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. "I also commend those who are engaged in making these Yatras successful and safe with a spirit of service," he said. He also hailed India's various social security schemes, which together covered 950 million people in 2025, compared to about 250 million a decade ago. Citing a report by the International Labour Organization (ILO), a UN agency, Modi said that 64% of India's population was "definitely availing of some social protection benefit or the other". India's social sector welfare and protection schemes include the public distribution system which provides subsidized foodgrains to poor citizens. Under the PM Awaas Yojana (PMAY), the government provides ₹ 1.2 lakh in plain areas and ₹ 1.3 lakh in hilly areas for assistance in housing. Similarly, the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) provides health coverage of ₹ 5 lakh per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization free of cost. The Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) is an essential social welfare initiative aimed at ensuring food security for the most vulnerable segments of society. The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) was launched with the specific purpose of ameliorating the hardships faced by the poor and needy due to economic disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in the country in 2020. The free-foodgrain scheme has been extended till the end of 2028, and benefits more than 800 million Indians. He also said that the people of Vietnam had sent messages of gratitude to India for taking the relics of Lord Buddha found in Andhra Pradesh to the southeast Asian country. The president of Vietnam, deputy prime minister, and senior ministers visited one of the nine locations where the Buddha statues were kept, and around 15% of Vietnam's total population had visited these sites, said Modi. "Originally these sacred relics of Bhagwan Buddha were discovered at Nagarjunakonda of Palnadu district in Andhra Pradesh. This place has a deep connection with Buddhism. It is said that once upon a time, people from far-off places including Sri Lanka and China used to come to this place," he said, adding that earlier, these relics were also taken to Thailand and Mongolia. The prime minister also urged citizens to reduce the consumption of oil in food to reduce obesity in the country. Modi said the Eri Silk, a unique sort of cruelty-free silk produced in Meghalaya, has received a geographical identification tag a few days ago. "Nowadays, the demand for such products is rising rapidly in the world, which do not involve violence and do not have any ill-effect on nature, hence, Eri Silk of Meghalaya is a perfect product for the global market," he said. He also noted the work done by several self-help groups across the country. Modi, who will embark on a 5-nation tour on 2 July to attend the Brics summit in Brazil, also appreciated local efforts in Gujarat and Maharashtra regarding conservation of the environment. Ahmedabad's municipal commission has started afforestation efforts and set a target to plant a million trees. "A special aspect about this campaign is 'Sindoor Van'. This forest is dedicated to the bravehearts of Operation Sindoor. Sindoor saplings are being planted in the memory of those brave people who have sacrificed everything for the country," he said. He also said the efforts to become to a carbon-neutral village by the Patoda Gram Panchayat in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar district in Maharashtra were noteworthy. The village practices collecting garbage from each house, treating dirty water before it reaches the river, and performing last rites with cow dung cakes and planting a tree in the name of every deceased person using the ash, according to Modi. In Hindu religious practices, last-rite rituals involve the deceased person's body being burned on a wooden pyre. Speaking about group captain Shubhanshu Shukla's space flight to the International Space Station, Modi said, "India has scripted a new history." He also added that the next 'Mann Ki Baat' address will discuss this mission.
Mint
37 minutes ago
- Mint
Iron dome: How useful is Israel's shield?
America's intervention in the Israel-Iran conflict has not stopped missile exchanges and defence analysts remain agog with how Israel's 'iron dome' has held up as a shield. It hasn't proven foolproof, but Israel claims it has neutralized over 80% of Iran's projectiles. Also Read: Mint Quick Edit | The US blasts in: A forever war in Iran? This dome has three layers. The first, which foiled attacks from Gaza and Lebanon, uses relatively cheap interceptors for short-range volleys. But longer-range Iranian missiles have forced the use of its David's Sling and Arrow systems to intercept cruise and ballistic missile onslaughts with interceptors that cost over $1 million a pop. Also Read: Donald Trump's war dilemma: Should America put boots on the ground in Iran or not? While Iran's fusillades have flagged, rough estimates suggest Israel's shield ran up a nightly ammunition bill that peaked at $300 million. A high strike rate may make this seem worthwhile. Notably, Arrow can stop nukes too. Also Read: Israel-Iran conflict: Echoes of history haunt West Asia Yet, let's not forget why the US shelved its 'Star Wars' plan of the 1980s for a US-wide shield against nukes. While it would've been hugely costly to set up, it could not guarantee that no nuclear warhead would ever get through; no dome could be doom-proof. This drove home the point that, ultimately, peace via diplomacy is a country's only real security.
