Mount Ax : The Secrets of Iran’s Underground Nuclear Facility
The name of Mount « Ax » in Iran has once again come to the forefront after the U.S. president threatened to strike the underground « secret » Iranian facility.
On Tuesday, Trump said: « We will probably strike that area very soon, and there is nothing they can do about it », referring to a site considered one of Iran’s most heavily fortified and mysterious nuclear facilities.
Israel believes that Tehran has stored part of its stockpile of enriched uranium there, along with advanced centrifuges used for uranium enrichment.
In response, Tehran warned that any U.S. attack on its nuclear facilities would be considered an escalation of the war in the region, according to Iranian state media early Wednesday.
What Is Mount « Ax »?
The U.S. network CNN describes it as a heavily fortified facility located deep underground in central Iran, approximately one mile, or 1.6 kilometers, south of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, which has previously been bombed by both the United States and Israel.
Construction of the facility, located at a depth of at least 100 meters, or 328 feet, began in 2020, according to the Institute for Science and International Security.
At the time, Iran informed the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency that the facility would eventually be used to assemble centrifuges employed in the production of nuclear fuel.
However, the site remains shrouded in secrecy. No publicly available blueprints exist, and experts obtain most of their information through the analysis of satellite imagery.
The imagery, according to the Institute for Science and International Security, shows a network of tunnels, a large security perimeter, and concrete-reinforced entrances designed to protect the facility from airstrikes.
Is Enriched Uranium Stored Inside the Mountain?
Israeli intelligence agencies believe that Iran moved part of its stockpile of enriched uranium and its advanced enrichment centrifuges to Mount « Ax » following the attacks in June last year, according to an Israeli source cited by the U.S. network.
During the twelve-day war, Israel bombed three major Iranian nuclear sites — Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow — and killed several senior scientists involved in nuclear research and development.
The United States joined the fighting toward the end of the war and bombed the same three sites with more powerful bombs. Trump claimed that the strikes had « destroyed » Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
However, neither the United States nor Israel bombed Mount « Ax », according to CNN.
U.S. and international intelligence agencies believe that parts of Iran’s nuclear program remain operational despite the damage inflicted upon it.
A shared objective of Washington and Tel Aviv is either to force Iran to dispose of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which is estimated to weigh nearly 1,000 pounds, or to seize it from Iran.
CNN previously reported that Iran had significantly intensified its efforts to isolate its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, deliberately demolishing tunnels and planting explosive mines at their entrances.
Is Mount « Ax » Completely Secure?
Experts believe that striking Mount « Ax » would pose a major challenge because of the facility’s depth and secretive nature. However, some analyses point to potential vulnerabilities.
According to the Institute for Science and International Security, the facility requires ventilation, cooling, and heating systems, electricity supplies, as well as transportation for personnel and equipment. These factors could represent vulnerabilities that could potentially be exploited.
Supporters of striking the site argue that destroying Mount « Ax » could prevent Iran from rebuilding its enrichment capabilities or regaining access to the thousands of centrifuges that remain from its nuclear program.
Iran insists that its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful purposes and says it is seeking to build additional nuclear power plants to meet its domestic electricity needs.
