Trump Claims US Could Attack Iran's Mount Pickaxe Soon
US President Donald Trump has stated that the United States may soon attack Mount Pickaxe in Iran. Mount Pickaxe, located near the Natanz uranium enrichment facility—which was heavily damaged by previous US strikes—contains two underground tunnel complexes. The mountain is rumoured to be a secret location for Iran’s nuclear storage, though the Iranian government has denied any nuclear-related activity at the site.
“We may attack Pickaxe soon. The US knows everyone moving in Pickage and throughout Iran,” Trump said, as reported by Anadolu Agency on Saturday.
Trump also described the conflict with Iran as a “small problem” for the United States. He made these remarks on Friday, a day after Vice President JD Vance stated he would not refer to the conflict as a war.
“Many people do not call it a war. I call it a military conflict because it is a small problem for us. It is not a big deal. We have dealt with Venezuela, and we have dealt with this,” Trump told reporters when asked about Vance’s comments, according to AFP.
The US conflict with Iran, which has lasted for six months, has resulted in the deaths of 18 US soldiers and thousands of Iranians. Negotiations to end the war have reached a deadlock, while Tehran continues to disrupt shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global waterway.
However, with rising fuel prices potentially causing the Republican Party to lose control of the US Congress in the upcoming November midterms, his administration is attempting to minimise the perceived impact of the conflict.
Trump stated that the US is conducting “periodic strikes,” but insisted that “we are not at war right now.”
He reiterated claims that the United States effectively controls the Strait of Hormuz and has destroyed Iran’s military capabilities.
“What we have done is truly extraordinary. We took over Venezuela and basically, we have taken over Iran,” Trump said.
When pressed on referring to the conflict as a “small matter” despite the deaths of 18 US military personnel, Trump compared the Iran conflict to the long-standing US wars in Vietnam and Afghanistan.
“I don’t think the name matters. What matters is the fact that we have achieved great success. We have stopped Iran from having nuclear weapons,” he said.