President Donald Trump is facing pressure from Iran hawks to consider a risky ground operation using special forces to destroy Pickaxe Mountain, a deeply buried and heavily fortified nuclear site near Natanz, The New York Times reports.
High-resolution satellite imagery from mid-February shows Iran has accelerated efforts to reinforce the location against potential airstrikes, according to the Institute for Science and International Security.
The report noted construction materials piled near tunnel entrances, suggesting efforts to strengthen access points and improve protection from aerial attacks.
"What plans Iran has for the facility, and whether Iran has the necessary equipment to fulfill its plans following the June 2025 strikes on its nuclear program, is unclear," the institute said.
While Iran has previously linked the site to rebuilding an advanced centrifuge assembly plant, analysts warn that its size and location raise concerns about possible uranium enrichment or other sensitive activities.
One White House ally recently proposed injecting the halls of Pickaxe Mountain with chemical contaminants, according to the Times.
Trump told Reuters on Friday that the U.S. will work with Iran to recover its enriched uranium and bring it back to America.
Iran is believed to possess more than 900 pounds of uranium enriched to 60% purity — a level just short of weapons-grade.
The status of Iran's nuclear program remains a central issue in U.S.-Iran tensions.
Trump has said preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon was a key justification for the war, while Iran maintains its nuclear work is for civilian purposes.
Some experts argue the Pickaxe Mountain site must be eliminated as part of any long-term solution.
"In any negotiated settlement with Iran that ends the conflict, the Trump administration should insist on the full, verified and permanent dismantlement of all enrichment plants," Andrea Stricker of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies said recently in a policy briefing.
"We don't want them pairing highly enriched uranium with a facility beyond the reach of bunker-buster bombs."
Others warn that even recognizing the threat doesn't make it easy to address.
"The concern is real," Joseph Cirincione, a longtime arms control expert who is highly critical of Trump's policies, told the Times.
"The problem is doing anything about it."
Pickaxe Mountain "is deeper and bigger and more fortified than Fordo," said Blaise Misztal of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America.
"That may be a place where they are planning to sprint to weapons-grade enrichment."
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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