In a recent escalation of tensions between the United States and Iran, President Donald Trump has brought renewed attention to the contentious site known as the "Mountain of Axes." This location is believed to be a crucial underground facility linked to Iran's nuclear program and is situated near the Natanz uranium enrichment plant. During an interview on July 13, Trump stated, "The United States will eliminate the Mountain of Axes," a threat that underscores the growing friction between Washington and Tehran, particularly as both sides are exchanging fire in the Gulf region and facing stalled efforts to de-escalate the crisis, as reported by Reuters.
According to U.S. officials who spoke to the Wall Street Journal, Trump convened a meeting in the Situation Room on Tuesday evening to discuss potential scenarios for controlling Kharg Island, Iran's largest oil export hub, as well as other territories in the Strait of Hormuz using American forces. Furthermore, the meeting included deliberations on the possibility of targeting the tunnel complex within the Mountain of Axes, a site associated with Iran's nuclear ambitions that has not yet been attacked by the United States, and the potential expansion of airstrikes to include additional targets within Iran, including facilities linked to the energy sector.
The Strategic Importance of the Mountain
The Mountain of Axes is located approximately 220 kilometers south of Tehran, the Iranian capital, and is merely two kilometers away from the Natanz nuclear complex, which houses key uranium enrichment facilities, according to Reuters. The Natanz complex has been subjected to attacks during military operations involving the United States and Israel, which resulted in the destruction of its aboveground enrichment facility. However, estimates from the International Atomic Energy Agency indicate that the underground facility has sustained significant damage.
As previously reported, the Iranian authorities began constructing the facility in 2020 following an explosion they attributed to sabotage aimed at the Natanz site, which caused substantial harm to the program for developing advanced centrifuges. In September of the same year, then-head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization, Ali Akbar Salehi, announced that the country was in the process of building a new facility within the mountain near Natanz, describing it as "more advanced, larger, and more comprehensive" for the purpose of manufacturing modern centrifuges.
Complex Fortifications and Operational Status
According to the International Science and Security Institute (ISIS), a U.S.-based research center focused on nuclear proliferation issues, the facility under construction at the Mountain of Axes has not been a target of prior attacks. The facility's construction began in 2020 following an explosion at Natanz that Iranian authorities claimed was a result of sabotage, causing significant damage to their centrifuge program. The facility is reported to contain pairs of tunnel entrances believed to lead to a site located at least 100 meters underground, surrounded by stringent security measures and extensive fortifications at the tunnel entrances. Recent satellite images have shown that Iranian officials have partially buried the eastern tunnel entrances to hinder vehicular access without fully sealing them off.
Despite Trump’s threats, the ISIS institute confirms that the facility has not yet become operational, although construction is ongoing. It remains unclear when it will be activated based solely on satellite imagery. The institute also stated that it is uncertain whether Iran intends to use this site for a large facility to assemble centrifuges, particularly following the damage to its nuclear program, but it does not rule out the possibility of repurposing it in the future for a smaller facility that could support any nuclear program Iran seeks to rebuild.
As reported by m.akhbarelyom.com.
