IAEA Confirms Syrian Reactor Could Have Manufactured Nuclear Weapons
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that a nearly completed nuclear reactor in Syria, constructed during Bashar al-Assad's rule, was configured to potentially produce fissile material for nuclear weapons. This revelation underscores concerns about Syria's nuclear capabilities and the implications for regional security.
Sources
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, reported that a former Syrian nuclear facility, believed to have been configured under the Assad regime, was capable of producing fissile material for potential nuclear weapons. The IAEA's investigations in August revealed cooling infrastructure consistent with a nuclear reactor at the Deir Az Zor site, with inspectors encountering significant obstacles while trying to access hidden nuclear materials. Grossi emphasized that the material is now under IAEA safeguards, and the agency plans to continue monitoring the site as excavation work progresses, following previous Israeli strikes that had destroyed the original reactor in 2007.
The UN nuclear watchdog revealed that a nearly complete nuclear reactor built secretly in Syria during Bashar al-Assad's regime could have produced fissile material for nuclear weapons. Inspectors confirmed the site contained around 73 tonnes of natural uranium metal in the form of fuel rods, with efforts to access the material requiring inspectors to "tear down walls" and navigate difficult pathways. The IAEA has placed the material under their safeguards, asserting the importance of knowing its location, while discussions about its future remain with the Syrian government.