US President Donald Trump has threatened to strike Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain facility, a deeply buried complex near the Natanz nuclear site, warning that the US could act “very soon” if Iran escalates activity there. The remarks, made during a White House press briefing on September 5, 2026, come amid ongoing tensions following months of US military strikes against Iranian targets.
Trump’s latest warnings underscore a pivotal moment in the US-Iran standoff, with the president framing the conflict as a military conflict
rather than a war and emphasizing that the US has already prevented Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. We’re in five months now. And you know what we did in five months? They’re not going to have a nuclear weapon,
he said, citing the US military campaign that began in February 2026.
The Threat and the Context
Trump’s threat against Pickaxe Mountain, a heavily fortified site near Iran’s damaged Natanz uranium-enrichment facility, reflects the administration’s focus on disrupting Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The president told reporters, We know everybody that’s moving at Pickaxe; we know everybody that’s moving everywhere all over Iran.
And if anything goes bad, we hit them; we hit them hard.
The confrontation escalated after a series of US strikes on February 28, 2026, targeting Iranian military infrastructure linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Trump reiterated that the US would respond forcefully to any activity at Pickaxe Mountain, which he described as a critical node in Iran’s nuclear strategy.
What Is Pickaxe Mountain?
Pickaxe Mountain, known in Farsi as Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, is located in Iran’s Isfahan province, approximately two kilometers from the Natanz uranium-enrichment plant. Satellite imagery and intelligence assessments suggest the site contains two deeply buried tunnel systems, with parts of the complex lying 80 to 100 meters (260 to 330 feet) underground.
Iran has not allowed inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to access the site, and the exact contents of the facility remain unclear. However, reports suggest that Iran may have relocated uranium-enrichment centrifuges and sensitive equipment to Pickaxe Mountain following the 2025 US-Israel bombing campaign. Trump acknowledged this possibility, stating, Iran may have moved centrifuges to Pickaxe Mountain, but we don’t have it on record.
Analysts’ Perspectives
The facility’s strategic importance lies in its resistance to bunker-buster bombs and its proximity to the Natanz complex. However, the exact layout of its tunnels and the location of sensitive equipment remain unknown, complicating efforts to assess potential damage.
Trump’s remarks have raised questions about the likelihood of an imminent strike. While he stated, We may hit Pickaxe very soon,
the administration has not provided a specific timeline. The president also downplayed the scale of the conflict, calling it “small potatoes” for the US and emphasizing that there’s no fighting
at the moment. However, he warned that the US would respond forcefully to any escalation.
Meanwhile, Trump reiterated his belief that the US has prevented a broader threat to Israel, the Middle East, and Western countries, stating, If we didn’t go in there, you wouldn’t have Israel right now.
As the standoff continues, the international community watches closely. The outcome of any potential strike on Pickaxe Mountain could shape the trajectory of US-Iran relations and the broader geopolitical landscape in the Middle East. For now, the focus remains on whether Trump’s threats will translate into action—and what the consequences might be.
