Former CIA agent John Kiriakou has claimed that Donald Trump is considering a nuclear strike on Iran to destroy its underground facility known as Pickaxe Mountain. Kiriakou, who served at the CIA from 1990 to 2004, stated that Trump wants to "break" the "final taboo" of using nuclear bombs and empower future presidents to use nuclear weapons more liberally.
These claims follow similar assertions made by former Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson, who suggested Trump might be "within days of launching a nuclear strike on Iran." Kiriakou told Piers Morgan that his contacts within the White House indicated Trump was contemplating the use of a tactical nuclear weapon against Pickaxe Mountain to penetrate its underground defenses.
The potential deployment of nuclear weapons would represent a significant escalation, as they have not been used in conflict since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Iran has previously discussed plans for nuclear enrichment at the Pickaxe Mountain site, a complex believed to be large enough to house an enrichment plant, though its precise purpose remains unclear.
Conventional bunker-buster bombs have thus far failed to adequately damage the deeply buried Iranian facility. A tactical nuclear weapon, such as the B61-11, could potentially destroy it. Concerns about a possible strike were amplified when Iranian state television broadcast a nuclear strike warning, advising citizens on protective measures.
In Tehran, the allegations have sparked public anger, with some Iranians taking to the streets and displaying signs that read "Trump must die." A billboard in Enghelab Square depicted Trump behind bars with the message "We will kill Trump."
Despite these claims, Trump has previously expressed reservations about using nuclear weapons against Iran. In April, he questioned the necessity of such a strike, stating, "We don't need it. Why do I need it?" He reiterated this stance in late August, calling the idea of using a nuclear weapon after a conventional defeat "a stupid question."
The Pentagon has not commented on the possibility of tactical nuclear strikes, and Trump has not directly addressed Kiriakou's recent claims. However, he recently indicated a willingness to strike the Pickaxe Mountain facility, telling Fox News, "We might have to go after Pickaxe, but that's not a big deal. We can do it in literally one hour."
Experts have largely dismissed the likelihood of Trump ordering a nuclear strike, though they have not entirely ruled it out. Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, told TWZ that while it's unlikely, "it is possible that an unstable desperate president who has sole authority to authorise nuclear weapons use, would do so."
Analysts suggest that the U.S. may be preparing for further military actions against Iran. Washington has amassed a significant naval force in the Arabian Sea, including multiple carrier strike groups and amphibious assault ships. A third carrier strike group is also en route to the region.
Recently, President Trump authorized limited defensive strikes on Iranian targets on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. These strikes were described as self-defense measures in response to Iran's continued targeting of maritime shipping and U.S. assets. The U.S. has reported intercepting Iranian drones and missiles on a daily basis and noted that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has targeted U.S. aircraft over the Strait of Hormuz.
Kiriakou expressed concern about renewed U.S. strikes, arguing that even a nuclear bomb would not secure victory in Iran, given its size and population. He suggested that Trump may misunderstand the situation, believing the war is already lost.