One of the leading American institutes devoted to research on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program sounded the alarm this week over the regime's uninspected underground site in the Zagros Mountains.Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have not been allowed to visit the secret site, known as Pickaxe Mountain.The highly secretive facility is casting serious doubt on Iran’s willingness to abide by the terms of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) reached with the Trump administration.
The United States, together with Israel, launched Operation Epic Fury on February 28, 2026, targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities.Experts from the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) argue that halting work at Pickaxe Mountain and allowing IAEA inspectors access would be a key good-faith measure to test whether Iran is prepared to abandon its pattern of deception.OBAMA-ERA INSPECTION FLAWS IN IRAN COULD PERSIST AS EXPERTS WARN OF NUCLEAR BLIND SPOTSSatellite image shows an overview of the Pickaxe Mountain tunnel complex in Natanz.(Vantor/Handout via REUTERS)Spencer Faragasso, a senior fellow with group who covers Iran, North Korea, illicit trade, and nuclear issues, wrote on X: "Important update by us at @TheGoodISIS.
The ongoing work at Pickaxe Mountain is deeply concerning.This work has continued steadily since at least 2020.
In my view, this is a hedge by Iran in case negotiations fail — they will then have a nuclear facility in a late stage of construction.We assessed that Pickaxe is likely large enough to hold an enrichment plant."Iran has used facilities at Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan to enrich uranium, the key material for a nuclear weapons program.Faragasso added, "If Iran is serious about negotiating, it should halt construction at Pickaxe Mountain as a token of good faith.
But what can be expected from a regime as brutal and conniving as Iran’s?"The institute posted a detailed analysis of n...