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Why Trump Is Threatening to Strike Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain Again

From Al Jazeera · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Analysis Named sources Ongoing story
  • President Donald Trump threatened to strike Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain, an underground site near the Natanz enrichment complex, as US-Iran tensions continued.
  • The threat followed reports that a US missile strike hit an Iranian oil tanker near Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil-export hub.
  • Nuclear talks remain stalled, while Iranian officials warn that an attack on the mountain could renew a wider regional war.

Donald Trump has again put Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain in his crosshairs, saying the United States could strike the heavily fortified underground site “very soon.” The threat came only hours after an Iranian oil tanker was reportedly hit by four US missiles off Kharg Island, the center of Iran’s oil exports.

very soon

· Donald TrumpTrump used the phrase when warning that Washington could strike Pickaxe Mountain.

Trump made the remarks to reporters in the Oval Office on Friday. He said the United States knows “everybody that’s moving at Pickaxe” and across Iran. His comments echoed a threat from July, when he said, “We’re going to take out Pickaxe Mountain. Tell the Iranians to be ready … We’ll probably give Pickaxe a shot relatively soon.”

everybody that’s moving at Pickaxe

· Donald TrumpTrump said the United States knows who is moving at the site and across Iran.

The latest warning comes more than six months into the war that the United States and Israel launched against Iran on February 28. The Trump administration has sent mixed signals about the conflict. Trump described the war as “small potatoes,” while Vice President JD Vance suggested it had cooled and said he “wouldn’t call it a war.” Vance also said there was “no active shooting right now,” despite attacks exchanged by the United States and Iran this week.

We’re going to take out Pickaxe Mountain. Tell the Iranians to be ready … We’ll probably give Pickaxe a shot relatively soon.

· Donald TrumpTrump made the earlier threat during a July interview.

Pickaxe Mountain, known in Iran as Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, lies in Isfahan province, about 220 kilometers south of Tehran and roughly two kilometers from the Natanz enrichment plant. US intelligence reports say the facility has been excavated deep inside the mountain. Iran says it is not carrying out work at Natanz. Its Khatam al-Anbiya central military headquarters has warned that bombing the mountain would amount to a renewal of war across the region. Talks over Iran’s nuclear program remain stalled after a 60-day negotiating period expired in mid-August without a deal.

wouldn’t call it a war

· JD VanceThe vice president used the phrase while describing the conflict with Iran.
About this summary

Originally published by Al Jazeera in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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