The Institute for Science and International Security said newly available satellite imagery appeared to show possible new defensive measures at Iran’s underground Pickaxe Mountain (Mount Kolang Gaz La) complex near the Natanz nuclear site.
The Washington-based institute said imagery suggested that by late April, two eastern tunnel entrances at the site had been partially blocked with grey earthen material that could hinder rapid vehicle access and would likely require heavy equipment to clear.
The institute said the entrances had appeared unobstructed in imagery from earlier in the month.
It added that the material did not fully conceal the tunnel portals, unlike measures previously observed at tunnel entrances at Fordow and Esfahan.
The institute said the activity raised “significant questions” because the deeply buried complex could potentially be used to store sensitive equipment or materials.
It also noted that older tunnel portals linked to a separate complex dating back to 2007 at Pickaxe Mountain had earlier this year been buried and reinforced with concrete, which analysts said could suggest equipment or material had been moved into the tunnels.
The facility, including a power substation and an alloy steel production line, was hit twice during Israeli-US attacks earlier this year, causing major disruptions to production and operations at the complex.
The report said only about 2,000 employees – mainly management and administrative staff – have returned to the site since the attacks during the war involving Iran, the US and Israel that began in late February.
Many workers have reported a sharp drop in income. Specialized technical staff who previously earned more than 100 million tomans a month – about 1 billion rials, or roughly $568 – are now receiving wages close to the legal minimum, around one-fifth of their previous pay, according to the report.
The pay cuts come as management seeks state support and unemployment insurance. Workers told Rouydad24 they fear these reduced wage calculations will permanently lower their future insurance benefits if formal mass layoffs are eventually finalized.
From steel production to the gig economy
With production lines largely inactive, a labor exodus is underway. Many former steelworkers in Isfahan have turned to driving for ride-hailing platforms to survive, while others have migrated to factories in Yazd and Khorasan provinces in search of steady work.
The uncertainty has triggered a surge in online job-seeking channels specifically for former Mobarakeh project workers. This shift highlights a deepening labor crisis in a sector that was already struggling with skilled worker emigration before the conflict began.
Mobarakeh Steel is one of Iran’s most strategic and profitable assets, and experts warn the fallout could destabilize the broader economy. Current estimates suggest it will take at least four years for the facility to return to its pre-war operating capacity.
While the head of the government’s information office insists that salaries for over 30,000 workers are being paid in full, the company’s own public relations office was more cautious, telling Rouydad24 that while they could not confirm specific allegations, "war conditions naturally change everything."
The detainees include women swept up during the nationwide uprising and others arrested following the military conflict involving Iran, the US, and Israel that began in February.
According to the HRANA report, 23 women are being held in the Aramesh ward, described as a basement-like structure with low ceilings and minimal ventilation.
Former detainees told the group the cramped conditions, which one compared to an ant nest, frequently trigger breathing problems and panic attacks.
Seven other women are currently being held in a quarantine unit characterized by poor sanitation and sewage odors. HRANA said that prisoners face a shortage of beds, limited medical treatment, and are often denied phone calls and family visits during their interrogation.
Serious charges and legal limbo
The reports of poor conditions coincide with concerns over the legal status of those currently held in the facility. Iran International reported earlier that three female political prisoners – Mahboubeh Shabani, theatre actress Sima Anbaei Farimani, and Azar Yahou – remain in legal limbo at the prison.
These women face severe charges including enmity against God, conspiracy against national security, and alleged links to Israel. Despite weeks in detention, they have been denied access to lawyers and have not been informed of the status of their cases.
Escalation of executions
The crackdown in the northeast reflects a wider national trend of severe punishment for security-related detainees. Center for Human Rights in Iran reported that at least 28 prisoners accused in political and security cases have been executed across Iran in the past 50 days.
Of those executed, 13 were individuals detained during the recent winter protests.
The report said small Chinese firms were openly marketing items including engines, batteries, fiber-optic cables and computer chips that can be used in military drones.
The newspaper highlighted Xiamen Victory Technology, a Chinese company that offered to sell German-designed Limbach L550 engines, which the US has barred from export to Iran and Russia. The engines have been linked to Iran’s Shahed-136 attack drones, which Russia has used in Ukraine, the report said.
The Shahed-136, Iran’s main attack drone, has a range of about 1,000 miles and costs an estimated $20,000 to $50,000 to produce, making it a cheaper alternative to cruise missiles.
According to the Journal, the company sent the marketing email in March during the Iran-Israel war that began in February and has since moved into a ceasefire.
“We are deeply shocked and outraged by the aggression against Iran, and our hearts are with you,” the email said, while promoting the sale of the engines.
Chinese firms adapt to sanctions
China’s Foreign Ministry told the Journal that Beijing enforces controls on dual-use exports in line with its laws and international obligations.
The report said US officials are increasingly concerned because many drone parts are now made in China by smaller firms that have limited exposure to the US financial system and are less vulnerable to sanctions.
The Journal also said Chinese exports of lithium-ion batteries and fiber-optic cables to Russia and Iran rose sharply as both countries expanded drone production and use.
US officials told the newspaper they are also trying to curb Iran’s oil revenue to limit funding for drone and missile programs.
The Wall Street Journal reported that some Chinese firms previously hid shipments through mislabeled cargo or Hong Kong shell companies, but analysts and former officials said some exporters are now acting more openly.
