Israeli Intelligence Claims Iran Relocated Nuclear Centrifuges To Pickaxe Mountain

Iran has reportedly transferred thousands of nuclear centrifuges to a heavily fortified underground facility near Natanz known as Pickaxe Mountain, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal. Citing US and Israeli officials, the newspaper said Israeli intelligence believes the relocation took place last autumn, months after the 12-day conflict in June 2025 during which the United States and Israel carried out coordinated strikes on several of Iran's nuclear facilities. If confirmed, the move would represent a significant effort by Tehran to better protect key components of its nuclear programme from potential future military attacks.

According to the report, the Pickaxe Mountain complex was not targeted during the June 2025 strikes and has also remained untouched since a broader aerial campaign that reportedly began on February 28. The facility is believed to have been designed to withstand conventional military attacks, making it one of the most secure sites associated with Iran's nuclear infrastructure. The reported transfer of centrifuges suggests that Iran may be seeking to safeguard critical enrichment equipment by relocating it to locations considered less vulnerable to airstrikes.

One of the key factors highlighted in the report is the depth of the Pickaxe Mountain facility. The underground complex is believed to be buried more than 300 feet beneath solid granite, making it substantially deeper than the enrichment plants at Natanz and Fordo that were targeted during military operations in 2025. Defence analysts have long argued that underground facilities protected by thick layers of rock are considerably more difficult to destroy using conventional bunker-buster munitions. As a result, any future military operation against such a site could require more advanced weaponry or alternative strategies.

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The reported relocation has not been independently verified, and neither Iranian authorities nor international nuclear watchdogs have publicly confirmed that centrifuges have been moved to the Pickaxe Mountain site. Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear programme is intended solely for peaceful civilian purposes, including energy production and scientific research. However, the country's uranium enrichment activities have remained a source of concern for the United States, Israel and several European nations, which argue that the programme could potentially provide Tehran with the capability to develop nuclear weapons if it chooses to do so.

The developments come against the backdrop of years of heightened tensions over Iran's nuclear activities. Negotiations aimed at reviving diplomatic agreements have repeatedly stalled, while military actions and intelligence operations have further strained relations between Iran and its regional and international adversaries. Israel has long viewed Iran's nuclear programme as a major security threat and has maintained that it reserves the right to act militarily if diplomatic efforts fail to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability.

If the reported transfer is accurate, it could significantly alter the strategic calculations surrounding Iran's nuclear infrastructure. By relocating sensitive equipment to one of its most heavily fortified underground facilities, Tehran may have reduced the vulnerability of its enrichment programme to conventional military strikes. The report is likely to intensify international scrutiny of Iran's nuclear activities and could influence future diplomatic discussions, intelligence assessments and regional security planning, even as officials continue to seek independent confirmation of the claims.

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