Experts say ‘deeply’ concerned over Iran’s work at underground nuclear site

One of the starring American institutes devoted to probe connected the Islamic Republic’s atomic programme sounded the alarm this week implicit the regime's uninspected underground tract successful the Zagros Mountains. Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) person not been allowed to sojourn the concealed site, known arsenic Pickaxe Mountain.

The highly secretive installation is casting superior uncertainty connected Iran’s willingness to abide by the presumption of the memorandum of knowing (MOU) reached with the Trump administration. The United States, unneurotic with Israel, launched Operation Epic Fury connected February 28, 2026, targeting Iran’s atomic and rocket capabilities.

Experts from the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) reason that halting enactment astatine Pickaxe Mountain and allowing IAEA inspectors entree would beryllium a cardinal good-faith measurement to trial whether Iran is prepared to wantonness its signifier of deception.

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Satellite representation shows an overview of the Pickaxe Mountain passageway analyzable successful Natanz. (Vantor/Handout via REUTERS)

Spencer Faragasso, a elder chap with radical who covers Iran, North Korea, illicit trade, and atomic issues, wrote connected X: "Important update by america astatine @TheGoodISIS. The ongoing enactment astatine Pickaxe Mountain is profoundly concerning. This enactment has continued steadily since astatine slightest 2020. In my view, this is simply a hedge by Iran successful lawsuit negotiations neglect — they volition past person a atomic installation successful a precocious signifier of construction. We assessed that Pickaxe is apt ample capable to clasp an enrichment plant."

Iran has utilized facilities astatine Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan to enrich uranium, the cardinal worldly for a atomic weapons program.

Faragasso added, "If Iran is superior astir negotiating, it should halt operation astatine Pickaxe Mountain arsenic a token of bully faith. But what tin beryllium expected from a authorities arsenic brutal and conniving arsenic Iran’s?"

The institute posted a elaborate investigation of caller outer imagery from precocious June 2026 showing continued enactment astatine Pickaxe Mountain. 

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Vice President JD Vance anterior to a quadrilateral gathering betwixt the United States, Iran, Pakistan and Qatar astatine the Burgenstock luxury edifice analyzable overlooking Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, connected Sunday June 21, 2026. (Fabrice Coffrini/Keystone via AP)

The institute wrote that "at Pickaxe Mountain, conveyance enactment tin beryllium seen connected the roads starring to the unfastened acceptable of Western passageway portals, indicating that operation wrong the passageway complex, arsenic good arsenic hardening of the passageway entrance, are ongoing. The MOU signed betwixt the United States and Iran requires that Iran support the presumption quo, which should prohibit operation astatine immoderate nuclear-related facility, including Pickaxe Mountain."

In precocious June, the IAEA declined to reply a elaborate Fox News Digital query connected whether it would question entree to the Pickaxe Mountain facility. According to the outer imagery obtained by the institute: "At Natanz, small enactment tin beryllium seen. The entree points to the below-ground enrichment halls person not been repaired. The unit entrances stay destroyed and conveyance entrances stay severely damaged. A azygous conveyance tin beryllium seen connected the roadworthy extracurricular of the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP), which was destroyed successful June 2025 but was aboriginal covered by Iran."

As U.S.-Iran talks opened Sunday successful Switzerland, a quality implicit who controls and monitors billions of dollars successful perchance unfrozen Iranian assets emerged (Fabrice Coffrini/Pool via REUTERS)

The institute besides reported: "As of June 29, 2026, determination is nary observed enactment astatine Esfahan. The passageway portals stay backfilled with dirt." ISIS tracked developments astatine the Fordow site, buried wrong a upland northbound of the beatified Islamic metropolis of Qom.

"At Fordow, arsenic earlier reported by the Institute, betwixt May 10 and May 18, Iran added passive antiaircraft measures successful the signifier of earthen/rocky mounds and different objects connected the roads starring to the passageway entrances. The alternating placements of the piles/objects are precise precise, which creates a bid of chicanes, indicating they are not intended arsenic obstructions but alternatively to forestall accelerated ingress and egress by immoderate conveyance toward the tunnels."

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The institute added, "The June 21 Vantor representation shows that the objects on the roadworthy stay there. The passageway portals besides stay backfilled with dirt," astatine Fordow.

Fox News Digital sent questions to the State Department and the Iranian Mission to the United Nations.