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Iran is rebuilding nuclear sites despite diplomacy, retired US Army General Jack Keane warns
Satellite imagery indicate renewed construction at multiple Iranian nuclear and missile facilities, including the deeply buried Pickaxe Mountain complex.
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Iran is accelerating reconstruction work at key nuclear and ballistic missile facilities, according to retired US Army General Jack Keane.
Recent satellite imagery from heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain complex near the Natanz nuclear site has also recorded a surge of activity, according to New York Post.
What did Jack Keane say?
Keane said the activity shows Tehran has not abandoned its long-term nuclear ambitions despite ongoing diplomatic engagement with the United States.
Speaking to Fox News, Keane said Iran remains committed to rebuilding capabilities damaged during recent military operations. He said, “They certainly haven’t given up on it. It defines their regime. We’re dealing with a diabolical regime.”
He added that Iran had recommitted itself to rebuilding its nuclear programme while accelerating work on ballistic missiles.
“They recommitted themselves to the same goal they always have: to recover their nuclear program. To accelerate their ballistic missile program because they recognize what a threat that was for their opponents,” Keane said.
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Satellite imagery points to activity at key facilities
The latest assessment follows months of satellite monitoring by commercial imagery providers and nuclear research organisations.
According to reports, analysts have documented increased construction at several nuclear and missile-related facilities, with particularly intense activity at the Pickaxe Mountain complex. The underground facility is located near Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment centre and is believed to be buried more than 300 feet beneath rock, making it significantly harder to target than surface installations.
According to Institute of Science and International Security, following the strikes in March 2026, different degrees of cleanup efforts were seen at the three locations associated with Mojdeh, also known as Lavizan 2. These nuclear experts have previously identified the site as one of Iran’s most secure underground facilities, although Tehran has not publicly detailed its purpose.
To make possible ground strikes more difficult, Tehran had also built temporary earth mounds around the Pickaxe Mountain and Natanz locations, according to the organization.
Nuclear infrastructure is not the only thing being rebuilt. Iran has replenished its arsenal, restored missile and drone facilities, and strengthened defenses against potential fresh US assaults during the lull in direct combat.
Moreover, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran will not discuss its nuclear program during Monday's talks with Mecca Pact members and that the United States must first satisfy Tehran's demands in order to permanently stop its war with Iran.
Iran's proposal, which was sent to Washington through intermediaries in the middle of September, calls for ceasing hostilities on all fronts in the region, relaxing sanctions on Iranian oil exports, and relieving a US embargo of Iranian ports.
