Donald Trump brings new attack targets in Iran into the mix – “Pickaxe Mountain”?

Donald Trump mentioned one or two additional Iranian facilities as possible targets. He specifically named Pickaxe Mountain, also called Kolang, where Iran is suspected of having an underground nuclear complex. Trump claimed the United States had already disabled Iran’s nuclear program.

He said another attack could be completed “in ten minutes,” presenting the operation as quick and manageable. However, he also said the United States was not in a hurry. He described talks about ending the war as going well, while calling Iran unreliable.

The timing remained uncertain. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump had not decided on new attacks and that Washington remained open to diplomacy. Iran warned that any further US attack would bring an immediate and broad retaliation, increasing the risk of renewed escalation.

Pickaxe Mountain is the English name for Kolang, a mountain in Iran’s Isfahan province. The name means “Spitzhacken-Berg,” or “pickaxe mountain.” The mountain has become prominent because an Iranian nuclear complex is suspected to lie beneath it.

Trump has mentioned the site several times as a possible military target. Its suspected underground location is why it appears in discussions about possible attacks. The article does not provide technical evidence explaining how the site became associated with Iran’s nuclear program.

Iran’s government rejects the allegation. It says no work connected with a nuclear program is taking place there. That disagreement matters because the site is being discussed as a military target even though its alleged purpose remains disputed. Any attack based on that suspicion could therefore carry major diplomatic and military consequences.

Pickaxe Mountain, or Kolang, is in Iran’s Isfahan province. The article places it roughly 200 kilometers south of Tehran. It also says the mountain is near the Natanz nuclear facility, another important location in discussions about Iran’s nuclear activities.

The stated distance is from Tehran, not from Natanz. Therefore, the article does not provide a precise kilometer figure between Pickaxe Mountain and the Natanz facility. It only describes the two sites as being near each other.

This geography helps explain why the mountain has drawn attention. Trump identified it as a possible target, while the article links it geographically to Natanz and to a suspected underground complex. Iran denies that nuclear-program work is happening there, so the site’s alleged role remains contested.

A strike on a suspected nuclear facility could widen the war because Iran has promised retaliation. Its Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei threatened an “immediate, effective and geographically unrestricted” response. Iranian military and defense officials also warned that another conflict could be longer than the previous one.

The key mechanism is escalation. A US or Israeli attack could prompt Iranian strikes against military, maritime, or other targets. The United States and Israel might then respond again. The article records earlier attacks, a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and repeated attacks on ships, showing how fighting can spread beyond one facility.

This explanation uses established knowledge about escalation, because the article does not directly analyze the military mechanism. Diplomacy could prevent that cycle, but officials said no decision on new US attacks had been made and negotiations remained uncertain.

Donald Trump influences US military decisions because he discussed possible targets and whether to attack again. Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said Trump had not yet decided and that Washington remained open to diplomacy. Vice President JD Vance sent Iran a letter about a possible negotiating framework.

On Iran’s side, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei threatened retaliation. Army spokesman Mohammed Akraminia and Defense Minister Mehrdad Achlaghi warned of a determined response. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described indirect consultations and confirmed that Tehran had received Vance’s letter.

These figures influence different parts of the crisis. Trump weighs military action, while Rubio and Vance represent diplomatic channels. Iranian military leaders communicate deterrent threats, and Araghchi handles negotiations. The article does not describe a formal decision-making process, but it shows each side combining military warnings with diplomatic messages.

The conflict began in late February with attacks by the United States and Israel. Diplomatic efforts later focused on ending the Iran war. But an agreement failed in June, and negotiations then lost momentum. That history helps explain why current diplomacy is cautious and fragile.

The present efforts rely partly on intermediaries. Iran’s foreign minister said no meetings with US representatives were planned, but consultations through mediators continued. The United Arab Emirates urged a diplomatic breakthrough while also saying the region was prepared for the worst.

The earlier breakdown matters because it left military pressure unresolved. Trump is discussing possible further targets, while Iran is issuing increasingly strong retaliation warnings. At the same time, Washington says it remains open to a diplomatic solution. The next phase therefore depends on whether indirect contacts can prevent renewed attacks.

Uranium enrichment is the process of increasing the share of uranium-235 in uranium. Most natural uranium contains only a small amount of this isotope. Enrichment produces material that can be used as fuel for some civilian nuclear reactors and, at much higher levels, can support a nuclear weapon.

The key mechanism is separation. Enrichment facilities use industrial equipment to separate uranium isotopes and concentrate uranium-235. The same general technology can serve civilian purposes or move toward military use, depending on the material’s enrichment level, scale, and safeguards. These technical details come from established world knowledge, not the article.

That dual-use character creates disputes. A country can describe enrichment as peaceful while other governments fear it could provide a pathway to weapons. In this article, the suspected complex beneath Pickaxe Mountain is contested for precisely that broader reason, although no technical evidence is provided.