--- title: "Iran adds earth barriers to Pickaxe Mountain as Trump warns Tehran" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/iran-adds-earth-barriers-to-pickaxe-mountain-as-trump-warns-tehran" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/iran-adds-earth-barriers-to-pickaxe-mountain-as-trump-warns-tehran" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/iran-adds-earth-barriers-to-pickaxe-mountain-as-trump-warns-tehran.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/iran-adds-earth-barriers-to-pickaxe-mountain-as-trump-warns-tehran" category: "Conflict & Security" area: "Middle East" published: "2026-09-18T03:25:15.307Z" source_reported: "2026-09-18T02:23:28.000Z" updated: "2026-09-18T03:25:15.307Z" trust_score: 86 critic_score: 87 hype_score: 30 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-18T03:15:37.255389+00:00" --- # Iran adds earth barriers to Pickaxe Mountain as Trump warns Tehran *Satellite images from 11 September show new defenses, Russia and China vetoed a U.N. resolution, and the U.S. president threatened to take out the site.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 86 of 100, higher is better. Trust high (86) due to named Institute source, quoted officials, dates, and multiple independent outlets. - Craft 87 of 100, higher is better. Critic high (87) as story explains context, includes quotes, specific data, and clear structure. - Hype 30 of 100, lower is better. Mild emphasis; headlines are vivid but body remains factual, yielding a moderate hype score. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Iran added earthen barriers to tunnel entrances at Pickaxe Mountain, as shown by 11 September satellite images. - The Institute for Science and International Security says the new earth increases protection against aerial bombardment. - Russia and China vetoed a U.S., drafted U.N. Security Council resolution to extend sanctions monitoring on Thursday. - President Donald Trump warned Iran not to “get cute” and said the United States could “take out Pickaxe” if diplomacy failed. Satellite imagery captured on 11 September shows Iran placing additional earth over the western tunnel portals of Pickaxe Mountain, a heavily buried facility near Natanz linked to its nuclear programme. The Institute for Science and International Security reported that the earthen barriers block road access and add a layer of protection that could make the entrances more resistant to air strikes. Analysts estimate that parts of the underground complex lie at least 100 metres below the mountain and are situated roughly two kilometres from Natanz. The same institute noted fresh soil piled over one western entrance and over a cluster of portals originally built in 2007, indicating ongoing reinforcement work. On the same day, Russia and China vetoed a U.S., drafted United Nations Security Council resolution that sought to extend the mandate of the Panel of Experts monitoring sanctions on Tehran. The vote received 11 affirmative votes, with Pakistan and Somalia abstaining. President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters, warned Iran not to “get cute” and said the United States could “take out Pickaxe” if diplomatic efforts failed, reiterating a threat first made in a July interview on “Fox & Friends.” ## Site name used in reports Internewscast refers to the facility as Pickaxe Mountain, while several right‑rated digests (Interfax, EADaily, wfmd, VINnews, Fox News) describe it as Mount Picucks. Both names denote the same underground complex near Natanz. > “We notice there’s a little activity at Pickaxe,” Trump told reporters last week. “I would advise Iran not to get cute because we will have to hit them very hard.” > > — Donald Trump, former U.S. president **100 m** — Estimated minimum depth of underground sections (Analysts say parts of the complex may be at least this deep) ## What the coverage left out None of the right‑rated digests mention the Institute’s comment that Iran also installed new concrete reinforcement at the site, a detail that appears only in the centre‑rated Internewscast report. ## Who covered it Shares of the 7 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 0% (0) - Centre: 14% (1) - Right: 86% (6) 3 of 10 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-18T03:15:37.255389+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 2 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-18T03:45:46.897Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left No separate framing summary. ### Centre - Internewscast led on the satellite evidence of new earthen barriers and highlighted the Institute for Science and International Security’s assessment that the added earth improves protection against aerial bombardment. The report linked the imagery to the recent U.S.‑drafted UN resolution veto by Russia and China and quoted President Trump’s warning that the United States could “take out Pickaxe” if diplomacy failed. ### Right - The New York Post’s full article echoed the satellite findings, noting the same earthen roadblocks and added soil, and stressed the Institute’s view that the barriers harden the entrances against air strikes. It also foregrounded Trump’s warning and the Russian‑Chinese veto of the U.N. resolution. The six right‑rated digests (New York Post, VINnews, wfmd, Interfax, EADaily, Fox News) each reported the new defenses, the Institute’s analysis, the veto, and Trump’s statement, but did not provide additional wording beyond the New York Post’s text. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - low: 1 - mixed: 5 - high: 1 - unknown: 3 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Internewscast](https://internewscast.com/news/iran-expands-defenses-at-deeply-buried-nuclear-site) — Iran Expands Defenses at Deeply Buried Nuclear Site - [EADaily](https://eadaily.com/ru/news/2026/09/18/isi-iran-vozobnovil-raboty-po-obogashcheniyu-urana) — ISI: Iran Has Resumed Uranium Enrichment Work: EADaily - [New York Post](https://nypost.com/2026/09/17/world-news/iran-adds-new-defenses-at-deeply-buried-nuclear-site) — Iran adds new defenses at deeply buried nuclear site after Trump warns Islamic State not to ‘get cute’ - [Interfax.ru](https://interfax.ru/world/1116773) — The Satellites Detected a New Activity at an Iranian Site in Mount Picucks. - [JDN - חדשות](https://jdn.co.il/news/2730567) — Iran Rebuilds Nuclear-Related Site; Satellite Images Reveal Extensive Activity at Attacked Site - [VINnews](https://vinnews.com/2026/09/17/satellite-images-show-iran-rapidly-rebuilding-bombed-nuclear-site-near-tehran) — Satellite Images Show Iran Rapidly Rebuilding Bombed Nuclear Site Near Tehran - [wfmd.com](https://wfmd.com/2026/09/17/fresh-activity-emerges-at-irans-deeply-buried-nuclear-site-as-trump-warns-iran-not-to-get-cute) — Fresh activity emerges at Iran’s deeply buried nuclear site as Trump warns Iran not to ‘get cute’ - [Beirut 24](https://beirut24.org/2026/09/17/%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%A3%D9%82%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%B5%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%B5%D8%AF-%D9%85%D9%88%D9%82%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%8B-%D9%86%D9%88%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%8B-%D8%A5%D9%8A) — Satellite Images Are Monitoring an Iranian Nuclear Site. - [WWBL](https://wwbl.com/2026/09/17/fresh-activity-emerges-at-irans-deeply-buried-nuclear-site-as-trump-warns-iran-not-to-get-cute) — Fresh activity emerges at Iran’s deeply buried nuclear site as Trump warns Iran not to ‘get cute’ - [Fox News](https://foxnews.com/world/fresh-activity-emerges-irans-deeply-buried-nuclear-site-trump-warns-iran-not-get-cute) — Fresh activity emerges at Iran’s deeply buried nuclear site as Trump warns Iran not to ‘get cute’ ## Questions **What new defenses did Iran add to the site?** Iran placed additional earthen barriers over the western tunnel entrances of Pickaxe Mountain, and added soil over a cluster of portals built in 2007, according to satellite imagery released on 11 September and reported by the Institute for Science and International Security. **How did the United Nations respond to the U.S. proposal?** Russia and China vetoed a U.S., drafted Security Council resolution that would have extended the mandate of the sanctions‑monitoring Panel of Experts, while 11 members voted in favour and Pakistan and Somalia abstained. **What did President Trump say about the site?** President Donald Trump warned Iran not to “get cute” and said the United States could “take out Pickaxe” if diplomatic efforts failed, reiterating a threat made in a July interview on “Fox & Friends.” **How deep is the underground complex believed to be?** Analysts estimate that sections of the underground complex may lie at least 100 metres below the mountain, based on the Institute for Science and International Security’s assessment of the site’s construction. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/conflict/iran-adds-earth-barriers-to-pickaxe-mountain-as-trump-warns-tehran. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Iran adds earth barriers to Pickaxe Mountain as Trump warns Tehran", https://mediabias.news/conflict/iran-adds-earth-barriers-to-pickaxe-mountain-as-trump-warns-tehran