Iran on Tuesday pledged to deliver a “devastating response” if the Pickaxe Mountain facility is attacked. The threat from Iran comes after US President Donald Trump warned that Washington could strike Iran’s heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility, saying the United States would “take out Pickaxe Mountain” and continue military action against Tehran.
“We’re going to take out Pickaxe Mountain. Tell the Iranians to be ready,” Trump said in an interview on The Hugh Hewitt Show. He added that the United States was closely monitoring the site and would “probably give Pickaxe a shot relatively soon.”
Trump also signalled broader military action, saying, “We’re going to hit them very hard tonight, and we’re going to hit them hard tomorrow. And there’s not a damn thing they can do about it.”
Iran responded sharply, with a senior security source telling CNN that Tehran would retaliate if the United States attacked the facility.
“If Trump acts on his threats, we will deliver a devastating response, and the price will be paid by American soldiers and his regional partners,” the source said.
Known in Farsi as Kuh-e Kolang, Pickaxe Mountain lies near Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment facility and houses deeply buried tunnel complexes that experts believe are among the country’s most heavily protected nuclear sites. Analysts say the underground facility is likely beyond the reach of even the most powerful U.S. bunker-buster bombs.
Trump’s remarks came as U.S. forces launched a third consecutive day of strikes against Iranian targets and after he announced the reinstatement of a U.S. naval blockade on Iranian shipping in the Gulf, while saying Washington would ensure the Strait of Hormuz remained open “for a fee.”
The renewed threats come amid escalating hostilities between Washington and Tehran following recent exchanges of missile and drone attacks, raising fears of a broader regional conflict and further disruption to commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
