United States President Donald Trump is reportedly considering military strikes on Iran’s underground Pickaxe Mountain complex amid concerns that the facility could eventually be used to revive Tehran’s nuclear programme.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Trump has been weighing possible military action against the underground site after receiving several days of briefings from senior national security advisers.
The report, citing US officials, said American and Israeli authorities believe the mountain complex could play a significant role in any future Iranian effort to rebuild its nuclear capabilities.
Iran is said to have begun constructing the heavily fortified underground facility in 2020 near the Natanz nuclear site after an above-ground uranium enrichment plant was damaged in what was widely believed to have been a sabotage operation.
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In 2021, then-head of Iran’s nuclear programme, Ali Akbar Salehi, disclosed that the underground complex would house what he described as “sensitive” equipment, raising concerns among Western governments over its intended purpose.
While intelligence officials reportedly view the facility as strategically important, the report noted that construction of the complex appears to be unfinished, and it remains unclear whether any nuclear-related activities are currently taking place there.
The development comes amid continued tensions over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, with Washington and its allies closely monitoring Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure and warning against any move that could accelerate the country’s nuclear programme.
