Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have flared up again following US military threats against a mysterious underground facility in Iran. Known as "Mount Kapak" or Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, the complex located near the Natanz nuclear site is suspected to be Tehran's strongest stronghold for storing uranium enrichment centrifuges.
Located about 220 kilometers south of Tehran, construction on this secret project began in 2020. The step was taken by the Iranian government as a defensive response after a series of sabotage acts and physical attacks damaged their above-ground nuclear infrastructure. Since then, tunnel construction under the rocky mountains has been heavily intensified.
Several intelligence reports and military expert analyses estimate this facility is built at a depth of more than 100 meters beneath hard rock formations. This incredibly solid geological structure makes the Mount Kapak site almost impossible to destroy with conventional airstrikes. In fact, even the US military's most powerful bunker-buster bomb, the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, is doubted to be able to disable the entire area in a single strike.
The threat of destroying this site was made directly by Donald Trump, who emphasized that Washington's intelligence continues to monitor movements in the region. This stern warning emerged after Israeli intelligence reports indicated the relocation of thousands of uranium enrichment centrifuges into the underground tunnels to avoid potential airstrikes.
On the other hand, Tehran strongly denies accusations of developing weapons of mass destruction and asserts that its nuclear program is entirely aimed at peaceful civilian energy needs. Nevertheless, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expressed concern over the lack of transparency, given that international inspectors have not yet been granted direct verification access to the Mount Kapak complex.
