Iran Continues Work at Uninspected Pickaxe Nuclear Site as June Images Show Vehicle Activity
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 3
Iran Continues Work at Uninspected Pickaxe Nuclear Site as June Images Show Vehicle Activity
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 3
Summary
Late-June satellite images show vehicles moving on roads into Pickaxe Mountain’s western tunnel portals, indicating construction and entrance hardening are still underway at the uninspected site.
The Institute for Science and International Security said that activity appears to violate the U.S.-Iran MOU’s status-quo requirement and undermines Tehran’s claims that it is negotiating in good faith.
Spencer Faragasso said work has continued since at least 2020 and argued Pickaxe is likely large enough to house an enrichment plant if talks fail.
At Natanz and Esfahan, the institute reported little or no visible activity, while Fordow still shows defensive road chicanes and backfilled tunnel portals after earlier strikes and fortification efforts.
IAEA inspectors have not been allowed into Pickaxe Mountain, making the deeper Zagros facility a fresh test of whether Iran will accept monitoring after the February 28 U.S.-Israeli Operation Epic Fury.
As Iran builds its secret nuclear mountain, can the new 'status quo' deal with the US prevent its path to a weapon?
With IAEA inspectors blocked from key sites, is any new nuclear deal with Iran verifiable or simply based on blind faith?
Will the high-stakes dispute over $120 billion in frozen assets make or break the fragile US-Iran nuclear talks?
Iran’s Underground Nuclear Gamble: The Strategic and Diplomatic Crisis at Pickaxe Mountain
Overview
Following widespread damage to Iran's nuclear facilities during the 2025 conflict, Iran has focused on significant and ongoing construction at the Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site. This site, located near Natanz, has become a major international concern due to its deep underground tunnels and heavy fortification. Since the U.S. and Israeli strikes in 2025, activity at Pickaxe Mountain has intensified, with construction nearing completion. Although the tunnel complex is not yet operational, these developments suggest Iran may be rebuilding its suspected nuclear program and moving it further underground to protect it from future attacks.