WHAT?

Following U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, including the Fordow enrichment plant, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that 409 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity—enough for potentially 10 nuclear warheads—has gone unaccounted for. Satellite imagery showed a convoy of trucks outside Fordow before the strikes, suggesting Iran may have moved the uranium to a secure location.

It is believed that Iran’s nuclear program is now run from a secretive underground facility known as Pickaxe Mountain (Kūh-e Kolang Gaz Lā), which may be hiding approximately this 900 pounds (409 kilograms) of enriched uranium.

KEY DETAILS 

1. Pickaxe Mountain Facility: Located near Natanz, Pickaxe Mountain is believed to be a highly fortified, deeply buried nuclear site, potentially exceeding the depth and capacity of Fordow, which is dug 60-90 meters into a mountain. Pickaxe’s underground chambers may extend beyond 100 meters, offering enhanced protection and space for uranium enrichment. The facility’s size and four tunnel entrances make it difficult to target with conventional airstrikes, even with bunker-buster bombs.
2. Speculation and Concerns: Experts and intelligence sources speculate that Iran may have transferred the missing uranium to Pickaxe Mountain or other covert sites to preserve its nuclear capabilities. The facility’s advanced fortifications and secrecy raise fears that Iran could continue enriching uranium to weapons-grade levels (90% purity) despite recent attacks. The IAEA has called for inspections to account for the stockpile, but Iran has resisted, citing its right to enrich uranium.
3. Strategic Implications: The article highlights that while U.S. and Israeli strikes damaged Iran’s nuclear infrastructure (Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan), the survival of key centrifuges and the potential relocation of uranium to Pickaxe Mountain suggest Iran’s nuclear ambitions remain intact. Experts estimate the strikes may have delayed Iran’s program by two to five years, but the existence of hidden facilities like Pickaxe could allow Tehran to reconstitute its efforts sooner.
4. Iran’s Defiance: Iranian officials, including Deputy Foreign Minister Takht Ravanchi, have rejected demands to halt enrichment, asserting sovereignty over their nuclear program. The failure of recent diplomatic efforts in Geneva to revive nuclear talks underscores the ongoing tension.