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AP News: What to know about Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain, which is home to an underground nuclear site threatened by Trump

Iran is building Pickaxe Mountain near Natanz, a site reported as an underground nuclear facility under construction.

SourcesAP News19:09 UTCThe Guardian01:28 UTCBBC03:05 UTCSave

AP News, The Guardian and BBC

Key points

From AP News’s report
  • Pickaxe Mountain, or Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, is under construction near Natanz in Iran.
  • Trump said in the Oval Office that the site could be targeted “pretty soon” and “very heavily.”
  • Experts estimate digging depth of 80–100 meters, with some suggesting it may be even deeper.
  • The underground facility could support uranium enrichment and centrifuge construction protected by Iran’s defenses.
  • The site remains uninspected by the UN nuclear watchdog, leaving its contents unclear.

Why it matters. Trump said it could be targeted “pretty soon” and “very heavily,” while experts estimate deep excavation and the site is uninspected by the UN watchdog.

What to watch. The next update to watch is whether the UN nuclear watchdog will inspect the site, and whether any action is taken following Trump’s comments.

Coverage

Oldest first · UTC

“What to know about the 50% tariffs Trump is imposing on Canada - AP News”

Key points from AP News
  • President Donald Trump announced 50% tariffs on some Canadian products on Monday, raising U.S.-Canada tensions.
  • Trump invoked Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, authorizing up to 50% tariffs without investigation.
  • Tariffs could push prices higher amid high living costs before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
  • Section 338 tariffs have never been imposed, and legality remains uncertain after potential legal challenges.
  • Canada relies on the U.S. market, with nearly 72% of exports going to the United States.
SourceAP NewsUnited StatesLeanCenterCredibilityRatings: AllSides, MBFCRead at AP News

“What is Pickaxe Mountain, Iran’s underground nuclear facility Trump is threatening to attack?”

Key points from The Guardian
  • Trump threatened to attack Pickaxe Mountain, a fortified underground site linked to Iran’s nuclear programme.
  • Pickaxe Mountain (Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La) sits 220km south of Tehran and 2km from Natanz.
  • ISIS says construction began in 2020 after reported Natanz sabotage, and the facility is ~100m inside.
  • Satellite analysis shows hardened tunnel entrances and a recently completed security wall, but not full sealing.
  • ISIS assesses the facility is not yet operational, though it could support centrifuge assembly for weapons.
SourceThe GuardianUnited KingdomLeanCenter-leftCredibilityRatings: AllSides, MBFCRead at The Guardian

“US renews strikes on Iran as Trump threatens to attack Pickaxe Mountain”

Key points from BBC
  • The US launched strikes on Iran for the 11th consecutive night on Tuesday, Centcom said.
  • Centcom said the strikes target Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Iranian state media reported air defences in Tehran and explosions in Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, and Bushehr.
  • Trump threatened a strike on an underground nuclear site near Natanz and warned of hitting Pickaxe Mountain soon.
  • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the war has cost $37.5bn so far and training may be curtailed.
SourceBBCUnited KingdomLeanCenterCredibilityRatings: AllSides, MBFCRead at BBC

“What to know about Iran's Pickaxe Mountain, home to an underground nuclear site threatened by Trump - AP News”

Key points from AP News
  • Pickaxe Mountain, or Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, is under construction near Natanz in Iran.
  • Trump said in the Oval Office that the site could be targeted “pretty soon” and “very heavily.”
  • Experts estimate digging depth of 80–100 meters, with some suggesting it may be even deeper.
  • The underground facility could support uranium enrichment and centrifuge construction protected by Iran’s defenses.
  • The site remains uninspected by the UN nuclear watchdog, leaving its contents unclear.
SourceAP NewsUnited StatesLeanCenterCredibilityRatings: AllSides, MBFCRead at AP News

Coverage

Oldest first · UTC
SourceAP NewsUnited StatesLeanCenterCredibilityRatings: AllSides, MBFCRead at AP News“What to know about the 50% tariffs Trump is imposing on Canada - AP News”
Key points from AP News
  • President Donald Trump announced 50% tariffs on some Canadian products on Monday, raising U.S.-Canada tensions.
  • Trump invoked Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, authorizing up to 50% tariffs without investigation.
  • Tariffs could push prices higher amid high living costs before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
  • Section 338 tariffs have never been imposed, and legality remains uncertain after potential legal challenges.
  • Canada relies on the U.S. market, with nearly 72% of exports going to the United States.
SourceThe GuardianUnited KingdomLeanCenter-leftCredibilityRatings: AllSides, MBFCRead at The Guardian“What is Pickaxe Mountain, Iran’s underground nuclear facility Trump is threatening to attack?”
Key points from The Guardian
  • Trump threatened to attack Pickaxe Mountain, a fortified underground site linked to Iran’s nuclear programme.
  • Pickaxe Mountain (Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La) sits 220km south of Tehran and 2km from Natanz.
  • ISIS says construction began in 2020 after reported Natanz sabotage, and the facility is ~100m inside.
  • Satellite analysis shows hardened tunnel entrances and a recently completed security wall, but not full sealing.
  • ISIS assesses the facility is not yet operational, though it could support centrifuge assembly for weapons.
SourceBBCUnited KingdomLeanCenterCredibilityRatings: AllSides, MBFCRead at BBC“US renews strikes on Iran as Trump threatens to attack Pickaxe Mountain”
Key points from BBC
  • The US launched strikes on Iran for the 11th consecutive night on Tuesday, Centcom said.
  • Centcom said the strikes target Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Iranian state media reported air defences in Tehran and explosions in Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, and Bushehr.
  • Trump threatened a strike on an underground nuclear site near Natanz and warned of hitting Pickaxe Mountain soon.
  • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the war has cost $37.5bn so far and training may be curtailed.
SourceAP NewsUnited StatesLeanCenterCredibilityRatings: AllSides, MBFCRead at AP News“What to know about Iran's Pickaxe Mountain, home to an underground nuclear site threatened by Trump - AP News”
Key points from AP News
  • Pickaxe Mountain, or Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, is under construction near Natanz in Iran.
  • Trump said in the Oval Office that the site could be targeted “pretty soon” and “very heavily.”
  • Experts estimate digging depth of 80–100 meters, with some suggesting it may be even deeper.
  • The underground facility could support uranium enrichment and centrifuge construction protected by Iran’s defenses.
  • The site remains uninspected by the UN nuclear watchdog, leaving its contents unclear.

Why it’s in the Brief

Ranked 4th of 10.

Starting score
5.0
Public-interest topic
+1.0
Public-interest terms in the text
+1.25
High-reliability sources
+0.75
Corroboration by independent outlets
+1.6
Score
9.6

The ranking is the same for everyone.

Perspective mix. 1 center-left · 2 center.RatingsAllSides and Media Bias/Fact CheckLean and credibility are curated from their public ratings.Unknown outlets stay unrated, never guessed.

Blindspot. No right-leaning outlet is covering this story. 2 of 3 outlets are United Kingdom-based. Worth knowing before you make up your mind.