Donald Trump renewed the prospect of targeting sites in Iran on Saturday, naming Pickaxe Mountain while saying negotiations were going well but questioning Iran’s reliability.
New remarks about the site
AFP reported that the US president spoke of one or two sites that still needed to be addressed. Pickaxe Mountain is a suspected nuclear-related complex; Iran denies nuclear work is conducted there, according to the agency. Arab News
What earlier imagery showed
In September, the Institute for Science and International Security published an analysis of commercial imagery showing earthen roadblocks restricting vehicle access to western tunnel entrances. Its analysts discussed how restricted access informed assessments of visible activity, alongside passive protective measures at the site and nearby Natanz. That work concerned exterior features visible at the time; identifying materials or activities inside facilities requires information beyond an aerial view of their entrances. Institute for Science and International Security
Nuclear verification and diplomacy
In his late-October Security Council briefing reported by Arab News, Rafael Grossi said the IAEA had been unable to confirm that Iranian nuclear material had not been diverted. Remote monitoring had not detected signs of rebuilding at facilities hit by strikes, he said, but access was essential to verify their actual condition. He also called for gradual technical steps to restore safeguards. This separates assessments of military damage from the task of accounting for and verifying nuclear material. Arab News
