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Syria Places 73 Tonnes of Uranium Under IAEA Safeguards

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani recently announced that Damascus has placed 73 tonnes of natural uranium under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) supervision, marking the closure of Syria's 15-year nuclear non-compliance file and the beginning of renewed cooperation with the watchdog. According to the Syrian state news agency SANA, al-Shaibani told the IAEA General Conference via video that the Board of Governors unanimously decided on September 9 to close Syria's nuclear file. The file had remained open since 2011. He noted that Damascus sent an official letter to the IAEA on July 17 disclosing that it possessed nuclear material at an undeclared location, and subsequently on July...

2026-09-16

Destroyed Syrian Nuclear Reactor May Have Had Capability to Produce Nuclear Weapons Material

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said on September 7 that a Syrian nuclear reactor, which was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in 2007 while it was nearly complete, was of a type capable of relatively quickly producing fissile material that could be used in nuclear weapons. The IAEA recently concluded its investigation into Syria's past covert nuclear activities. The investigation found approximately 73 tons of natural uranium metal, primarily in the form of reactor fuel. In a report submitted to member states, the agency confirmed that its previous assessment remained unchanged: the destroyed facility in Deir ez-Zor Province in eastern Syria was a nuclear reactor under construction, and the associated fuel had also been manufactured within Syria.

2026-09-08

IAEA Confirms Undeclared Nuclear Facilities in Syria

A confidential report by a United Nations agency reveals that after IAEA inspectors visited multiple locations in Syria in August this year, they confirmed that the former Syrian authorities had failed to declare relevant nuclear materials, nuclear facilities, and nuclear activities as required by the safeguards agreement under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The report states that the information includes a nuclear reactor that was under construction in Deir ez-Zor, a fuel fabrication facility, and another site used for fuel storage during the former government era. For a long time, there has been external suspicion that Syria had secretly pursued a nuclear program, with a facility in Deir ez-Zor province believed to be a nuclear reactor built with assistance from North Korea. The facility was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike in 2007...

2026-09-03

Syria Says Newly Discovered Nuclear Material Not Dangerous, Will Remain Under National Control

Syrian Foreign Minister Al-Shaibani said on August 18 that nuclear material discovered at an undisclosed location in Syria is not dangerous and will remain under Syrian control. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has provided assurances regarding the situation. Speaking at a joint press conference in Damascus with IAEA Director General Grossi that day, Al-Shaibani stated that Syria has the right to use this nuclear material for civilian and peaceful purposes. Grossi said the IAEA was able to access the relevant facility and carry out its work after receiving notification from the Syrian government. Following the end of the Assad government's rule in late 2024, Syria's new government has expressed willingness to...

2026-08-19

Syria Confirms IAEA Delegation to Visit Damascus for Talks on Nuclear Material Handling and Peaceful Use Cooperation

The Syrian Atomic Energy Commission issued a written statement confirming that a delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will arrive in Damascus in the coming days to discuss progress in Syria's nuclear energy sector and international nuclear cooperation. The visit was announced following reports that the IAEA is preparing to remove nuclear materials from secret facilities in Syria. The statement said Syria is cooperating with the United States and friendly countries on addressing the nuclear legacy left by the former regime, and is committed to promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy in fields such as health, food, and scientific research. The statement noted that Syria is working to activate its full membership status in the IAEA, and emphasized that Syria, after liberation, has...

2026-08-12