Trump says Iran constructing deeper nuclear website protected by granite

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Iran’s doubtlessly most harmful nuclear website is buried as deep as 100 meters underneath a granite mountain, based on new assessments, with one nonproliferation knowledgeable warning it should be "neutralized" earlier than the U.S war with Iran ends.

This got here as new figures launched Wednesday by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) present that U.S. and Israeli forces launched Operation Epic Fury in late February, and have since struck greater than 7,800 targets in Iran because the battle enters Day 18.

"Earlier than america and Israel finish main fight operations in opposition to Iran, they need to full two pressing duties," Andrea Stricker, deputy director of the Nonproliferation Program on the Basis for Protection of Democracies, mentioned in a policy briefing .

WHILE UN ISSUES MIXED SIGNALS, WITKOFF EXPOSES IRAN'S NUCLEAR EVASION ‘PRIDE’

Satellite tv for pc imagery exhibits reinforcement efforts at Pickaxe Mountain website as Trump says Tehran pursuing nuclear weapon (Vantor/Handout through REUTERS)

"First, they need to neutralize Pickaxe Mountain . Second, they need to get well or eradicate extremely enriched uranium shares to stop them from falling into the arms of surviving regime parts, different adversarial states or terrorist proxies."

Excessive-resolution satellite tv for pc imagery taken in mid-February exhibits Iran's accelerated efforts to bolster the positioning at Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La — dubbed "Pickaxe Mountain" — in opposition to potential airstrikes, based on the Institute for Science and International Security.

"At one of many japanese tunnel entrances, rock and soil may be seen pushed again and leveled on high of the tunnel portal," the institute's report mentioned.

"Moreover, during the last month, a concrete-reinforced headworks for the tunnel entrance extension was added. This enables for extra overburden within the type of rock, soil or concrete."

STRIKES MAY SET IRAN BACK — BUT LIKELY WON'T END NUCLEAR PROGRAM, UN WATCHDOG CHIEF SAYS

Satellite tv for pc picture exhibits an outline of the Pickaxe Mountain tunnel complicated in Natanz. (Vantor/Handout through REUTERS)

The report added that "these efforts strengthen the tunnel portals and supply extra protection against an airstrike ," noting seen piles of development supplies close to the entrances.

Stopping Iran from having a nuclear weapon is considered one of President Donald Trump ’s said warfare goals. In June 2025, U.S. forces already carried out strikes against nuclear facilities together with Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

Iran had roughly 441 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% as of June 2025 — sufficient materials, if additional enriched to weapons-grade ranges, for a number of nuclear weapons, based on the International Atomic Energy Agency .

Rafael Grossi, its director common, additionally mentioned March 9 that the U.N. watchdog believes roughly 200 kilograms of Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile are nonetheless saved in deep tunnels at a nuclear complex outdoors Isfahan.

SATELLITE IMAGES REVEAL ACTIVITY AT IRAN NUCLEAR SITES BOMBED BY US, ISRAEL

President Donald Trump confirmed the U.S. launched strikes on Iran on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (The White Home through X Account/Anadolu through Getty Pictures)

Grossi added that extra portions of extremely enriched uranium are believed to be at one other nuclear middle in Natanz, the place Iran has constructed a brand new fortified underground facility at Pickaxe Mountain.

In the meantime on March 9, Trump pointed to Iran’s efforts to renew nuclear exercise at a deeper website and mentioned Tehran has continued pursuing a nuclear weapon "even after we obliterated their key nuclear sites ."

"They had been beginning work at one other website, a unique website … that was protected by granite … they wished to go rather a lot deeper, and so they began the method," Trump mentioned, based on reports .

In response to Stricker, the "totally different website" referenced by Trump is Pickaxe Mountain, the place Iran has mentioned it has been constructing a centrifuge meeting plant on the website since 2021. The positioning is a mile from its Natanz enrichment plant.

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"The scale of the ability, in addition to the safety offered by the tall mountain, raised rapid considerations about whether or not extra delicate actions are deliberate, akin to uranium enrichment," The Institute for Science and Worldwide Safety additionally famous in its report.

Firstly of March, a automobile was struck outdoors the positioning, presumably by Israel, the Wall Avenue Journal mentioned, earlier than suggesting that the automobile strike was proof the U.S. and Israel are watching the mountain fastidiously.

Emma Bussey is a breaking information author for Fox Information Digital. Earlier than becoming a member of Fox, she labored at The Telegraph with the U.S. in a single day crew, throughout desks together with international, politics, information, sport and tradition.