Iran has relocated thousands of nuclear centrifuges to a highly fortified underground facility known as “Pickaxe Mountain” near Natanz, according to U.S. and Israeli officials cited by The Wall Street Journal. The transfer reportedly took place in the autumn of last year, and the site remained intact during the 2025 U.S.-Israel strike. The facility is built more than 300 feet deep into solid granite rock, with satellite imagery and intelligence indicating ongoing construction and truck movement over the past 15 months. The exact origin of the transferred centrifuges remains unclear.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has not yet been granted access to inspect the site. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated that Iran had disclosed plans for nuclear activity there in 2021. U.S. President Donald Trump has hinted at a possible strike on the Pickaxe site, while former U.S. official Nate Swanson warned that any nuclear activity outside international oversight would be deeply concerning.

Iran continues to assert that its nuclear program is peaceful and intended for civilian purposes.