A nuclear reactor built secretly during the rule of the toppled leader Bashar al-Assad in Syria would have been able to produce the needed fissile material for possible use in nuclear weapons, the chief of the UN nuclear watchdog has revealed.&nbsp;Last month, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) visited two sites, one in Deir ez-Zor and a second in an undisclosed location identified to them by Syrian authorities.&nbsp;IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said on Monday it was “obvious that the previous government was pursuing a number of clandestine” activities. “They didn’t want the world to know what they were doing,” Grossi told reporters after opening the Vienna-based agency’s quarterly board of governors meeting.&nbsp;“Given the configuration, the technical features of that type of reactor, this is a reactor that is very efficient in the production of fissile material that could be used directly for the fabrication of nuclear weapons,” he said, adding that building the reactor was a “very important step”.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pa-c-k-of-lies-pakistan-s-ai-victory-video-claims-hits-on-32-iaf-bases-8-aircraft-2-s-400s-and-indian-parliament-1788792189590">Pa(c)k of lies: Pakistan’s AI ‘victory’ video claims hits on 32 IAF bases, 8 aircraft, 2 S-400s and Indian Parliament</a><h2>Syria was running an undeclared nuclear programme under Assad</h2>&nbsp;The revelation proves that Syria was running an extensive undeclared nuclear programme under Assad that included a nuclear reactor built by North Korea in the eastern Deir ez-Zor province.&nbsp;After Assad was ousted in December 2024, the new government agreed to give IAEA inspectors access to suspected former nuclear sites.&nbsp;During a visit to Syria in August, IAEA inspectors confirmed that “the cooling infrastructure which has now been uncovered is consistent with that of a nuclear reactor”.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/man-kills-wife-stores-her-severed-head-and-chopped-fingers-in-fridge-arrested-1788785818077">Man kills wife, stores her severed head and chopped fingers in fridge; arrested</a>&nbsp;Grossi and a team of senior inspectors also visited a previously undeclared site in the country.&nbsp;<h2>‘IAEA finds 73 tonnes of natural uranium metal at site’</h2>&nbsp;In 2018, Israel admitted carrying out a top-secret air raid on the site 11 years earlier.Much earlier, in 2008, less than a year after the Israeli strike, US officials had accused Syria of having sought to build a secret nuclear reactor and acknowledged that Israel had destroyed it in the raid.&nbsp;Syria notified the agency of the site’s existence in a 17 July letter and invited the IAEA “to cooperate with the Syrian authorities in the inspection and verification of the site and of any nuclear material to be potentially found”.In its confidential report circulated to member states last Tuesday, the IAEA said that this new site contained “natural uranium metal in the form of fuel rods with cladding”. The agency verified the material and confirmed “the presence of around 73 tonnes of natural uranium metal”.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/7-foot-python-found-hiding-in-car-s-engine-in-mumbai-rescue-video-goes-viral-1788800825739">7-foot python found hiding in car’s engine in Mumbai; rescue video goes viral | Watch</a>&nbsp;Grossi said that when the inspectors visited the site in August, they had to “tear down walls” and go through “very difficult and narrow passages” to reach the nuclear material that had been hidden. The site had boxes scattered all over the place, he said.&nbsp;<h2>Syrian govt to decide whether to retain nuclear mterial</h2>&nbsp;“The important thing is that this material now is under safeguards” of the IAEA, Grossi said, adding that agency inspectors had managed to install cameras at the location.Asked if the nuclear material would remain in Syria or be removed, Grossi said this was “a matter that the Syrian government will have to decide”.&nbsp;“We are not requesting them to do this or to do that. For us what’s important is that we know all the time where this [material] is until the last gram,” he added.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/energy-and-food-security-biggest-combined-population-and-gdp-and-the-two-big-challenges-for-brics-1788809454367">Energy and food security: Biggest combined population and GDP, and the two big challenges for BRICS</a>&nbsp;Logan Mintz, a director for nuclear materials security at the Washington-based Nuclear Threat Initiative, said once deemed safe to move, the material could be “transported in certified containers” to a third country that could “safely and securely disposition it into a more chemically stable and more widely used form” for possible use in nuclear power plants.

During a visit to Syria in August, IAEA inspectors confirmed that “the cooling infrastructure which has now been uncovered is consistent with that of a nuclear reactor”. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi and a team of senior inspectors also visited a previously undeclared site in the country.

A nuclear reactor built secretly during the rule of the toppled leader Bashar al-Assad in Syria would have been able to produce the needed fissile material for possible use in nuclear weapons, the chief of the UN nuclear watchdog has revealed. Last month, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) visited two sites, one in Deir ez-Zor and a second in an undisclosed location identified to them by Syrian authorities. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said on Monday it was “obvious that the previous government was pursuing a number of clandestine” activities. “They didn’t want the world to know what they were doing,” Grossi told reporters after opening the Vienna-based agency’s quarterly board of governors meeting. “Given the configuration, the technical features of that type of reactor, this is a reactor that is very efficient in the production of fissile material that could be used directly for the fabrication of nuclear weapons,” he said, adding that building the reactor was a “very important step”. Also Read: Pa(c)k of lies: Pakistan’s AI ‘victory’ video claims hits on 32 IAF bases, 8 aircraft, 2 S-400s and Indian Parliament Syria was running an undeclared nuclear programme under Assad The revelation proves that Syria was running an extensive undeclared nuclear programme under Assad that included a nuclear reactor built by North Korea in the eastern Deir ez-Zor province. After Assad was ousted in December 2024, the new government agreed to give IAEA inspectors access to suspected former nuclear sites. During a visit to Syria in August, IAEA inspectors confirmed that “the cooling infrastructure which has now been uncovered is consistent with that of a nuclear reactor”. Also Read: Man kills wife, stores her severed head and chopped fingers in fridge; arrested Grossi and a team of senior inspectors also visited a previously undeclared site in the country. ‘IAEA finds 73 tonnes of natural uranium metal at site’ In 2018, Israel admitted carrying out a top-secret air raid on the site 11 years earlier. Much earlier, in 2008, less than a year after the Israeli strike, US officials had accused Syria of having sought to build a secret nuclear reactor and acknowledged that Israel had destroyed it in the raid. Syria notified the agency of the site’s existence in a 17 July letter and invited the IAEA “to cooperate with the Syrian authorities in the inspection and verification of the site and of any nuclear material to be potentially found”. In its confidential report circulated to member states last Tuesday, the IAEA said that this new site contained “natural uranium metal in the form of fuel rods with cladding”. The agency verified the material and confirmed “the presence of around 73 tonnes of natural uranium metal”. Also Read: 7-foot python found hiding in car’s engine in Mumbai; rescue video goes viral | Watch Grossi said that when the inspectors visited the site in August, they had to “tear down walls” and go through “very difficult and narrow passages” to reach the nuclear material that had been hidden. The site had boxes scattered all over the place, he said. Syrian govt to decide whether to retain nuclear mterial “The important thing is that this material now is under safeguards” of the IAEA, Grossi said, adding that agency inspectors had managed to install cameras at the location. Asked if the nuclear material would remain in Syria or be removed, Grossi said this was “a matter that the Syrian government will have to decide”. “We are not requesting them to do this or to do that. For us what’s important is that we know all the time where this [material] is until the last gram,” he added. Also Read: Energy and food security: Biggest combined population and GDP, and the two big challenges for BRICS Logan Mintz, a director for nuclear materials security at the Washington-based Nuclear Threat Initiative, said once deemed safe to move, the material could be “transported in certified containers” to a third country that could “safely and securely disposition it into a more chemically stable and more widely used form” for possible use in nuclear power plants.

During a visit to Syria in August, IAEA inspectors confirmed that “the cooling infrastructure which has now been uncovered is consistent with that of a nuclear reactor”. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi and a team of senior inspectors also visited a previously undeclared site in the country.

‘Secret reactor in Syria could have been used for nuclear weapons,’ says IAEA after finding 73 tonnes of natural uranium

UN nuclear watchdog head Rafael Grossi said on Tuesday that his agency found several tonnes of nuclear materials at a previously undeclared site dating from the rule of Syria’s previous government.Addressing a joint press conference with Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani in Damascus, the ⁠ International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief said, “After your courageous decision to inform us that there was another place, another site where nuclear material had been stored, we were able to access this place... we are talking about a few tonnes of nuclear material that could be put to bad use.&nbsp;&nbsp;Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said UN atomic watchdog chief Rafael Grossi visited a site containing nuclear materials in the country, and his agency collected samples.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-won-both-war-and-diplomacy-araghchi-says-conflict-completely-dispelled-notion-of-tehran-s-weakness-1787060840037">‘Iran won both war and diplomacy’: Araghchi says conflict ‘completely dispelled’ notion of Tehran’s weakness</a>&nbsp;“On July 17, we sent an official letter to the agency, in which we declared of our own free will the presence of nuclear materials at an undeclared site within the legacy left by the former regime,” Shaibani said at the press conference, adding that Grossi and the agency team completed their site visit this morning and collected the necessary samples.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I’m currently in Syria, in the context of ongoing cooperation with the Syrian Government to clarify and resolve outstanding safeguards issues related to implementing its NPT Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA. We conducted the following activities: •⁠ ⁠Deir Ez-Zor site:… <a href="https://t.co/unvDU7J6uB">pic.twitter.com/unvDU7J6uB</a>&mdash; Rafael Mariano Grossi (@rafaelmgrossi) <a href="https://x.com/rafaelmgrossi/status/2089726053115715839?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/don-t-beg-pakistan-strictly-warns-its-umrah-pilgrims-tells-them-to-fully-comply-with-saudi-laws-1786991746961">‘Don’t beg,’ Pakistan strictly warns its Umrah pilgrims, tells them to fully comply with Saudi laws</a>&nbsp;The nuclear material was not dangerous and would remain in Syrian custody, subject to the IAEA’s guarantees, he added.Asaad al-Shibani added that Syria has the right to use the material for civil and peaceful purposes.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/supreme-court-rejects-trump-s-renewed-appeal-to-block-e-jean-carroll-award-1786975184644">Supreme Court rejects Trump’s renewed appeal to block E. Jean Carroll award</a>&nbsp;After the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, Syria’s new authorities have committed to working with the United Nations’ nuclear ⁠watchdog to address the nuclear activities during decades of Assad family rule.&nbsp;Syria is not known to hold operational stockpiles ⁠of nuclear material for a weapons programme, but Israel bombed a suspected ⁠Syrian nuclear reactor in 2007 in the country’s eastern province of Deir al-Zor.

After the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, Syria’s new authorities have committed to working with the United Nations’ nuclear ⁠watchdog to address the nuclear activities during decades of Assad family rule. The nuclear material was not dangerous.

UN nuclear watchdog head Rafael Grossi said on Tuesday that his agency found several tonnes of nuclear materials at a previously undeclared site dating from the rule of Syria’s previous government. Addressing a joint press conference with Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani in Damascus, the ⁠ International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief said, “After your courageous decision to inform us that there was another place, another site where nuclear material had been stored, we were able to access this place... we are talking about a few tonnes of nuclear material that could be put to bad use. Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said UN atomic watchdog chief Rafael Grossi visited a site containing nuclear materials in the country, and his agency collected samples. Also Read: ‘Iran won both war and diplomacy’: Araghchi says conflict ‘completely dispelled’ notion of Tehran’s weakness “On July 17, we sent an official letter to the agency, in which we declared of our own free will the presence of nuclear materials at an undeclared site within the legacy left by the former regime,” Shaibani said at the press conference, adding that Grossi and the agency team completed their site visit this morning and collected the necessary samples.

After the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, Syria’s new authorities have committed to working with the United Nations’ nuclear ⁠watchdog to address the nuclear activities during decades of Assad family rule. The nuclear material was not dangerous.

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi says agency found ‘tonnes of nuclear material’ in Syria

Even as Trump's aim to secure enriched uranium from Iran remains a pipedream, US has managed to get its way in another country. According to a report, US has now brokered a deal whereby the international atomic energy agencywill soon remove nuclear material stored at a clandestine site in Syria. Now, the facility in question is site 99, where the previous Bashar al-Assad's government had reportedly stored residue nuclear material from the Al-Kibar site.&nbsp;It is nearly 450 kilometres North East of Syria's capital Damascus. US accused Syria of building a secret nuclear reactorat Al-Kibar with North Korea's help during the tenure of Bashar al-Assad who was sentenced to death in absentia. However, back then, Syria denied this and asserted that it was an unused military facility under construction. It is pertinent to note that the west Asian nation is a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty which allows use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. In September 2007 though, things took a serious turn when Israel bombed the Al-Kibar site. IDF released footage which showed a target locking on to a building that is blown apart afterwards.&nbsp;Plumes of smoke were visible in the aftermath as Israeli security personnel monitored the operation. However, Syria didn't retaliate back then citing that Israel had struck unused military infrastructure. But, Israel acknowledged having carried out this strike only eleven years later in 2018. According to the Israeli military, four f-16s and four f-15s were involved in the operation which lasted for four hours. Defending the strike, it cited the strategic implications in Israel, Syria as well as the rest of West Asia.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/syria-s-nuclear-material-to-be-removed-in-us-brokered-deal-report-says-1786471231513/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/syria-s-nuclear-material-to-be-removed-in-us-brokered-deal-report-says-1786471231513/embed</a>&nbsp;It also noted that ISIS later overran the province in which this nuclear reactor is located. Israel claimed to have destroyed the nuclear reactor in its strike. According to Axios, the nuclear material transferred to site 99 included yellowcake, a powder from uranium ore, which can be eventually enriched as part of a nuclear cycle. The report added that this material can be used to build a bomb that disperses radioactive material to contaminate an area.&nbsp;Now, following Bashar al-Assad's ouster, IAEA got the nod from the Al-Sharaa-led government last year to access and inspect former nuclear sites in Syria including Al-Kibar. But what was the immediate trigger for the US to push for the removal of nuclear material from Syria? According to the report, it was Israel which reportedly raised the alarm. Several weeks ago, Israel detected movements in the area around site 99.&nbsp;Subsequently, it became concerned that the new Syrian government was trying to access the nuclear material with Turkiye's help. This is not all. As per the report, Israel threatened to bomb the site if the nuclear material was not removed. Thereafter, the Trump administration asked Israel not to take any action and scrambled to reach an agreement between IAEA and Syria to prevent another escalation in West Asia. Even as Trump and Al-Sharaa share a good rapport, the current incident is another manifestation of the lingering mistrust between Israel and Syria.&nbsp;This is because the Assad dynasty which ruled the country for over five decades played a crucial role in empowering Hezbollah and training its fighters. The Lebanon-based outfit also fought alongside Bashar al-Assad's forces in Syria's civil war. While this changed after Al-Sharaa took over, Syria and Israel are yet to establish diplomatic relations. In May this year, US along with experts from IAEA and UK removed all remaining enriched uranium in Venezuela.&nbsp;The material was subsequently transferred to US. This came months after America captured Venezuela's ex-president Nicolas Maduro and his wife. However, with Iran refusing to give in to any pressure, the question of enriched uraniumremains unsolved in the ongoing talks between US and Iran.

US brokers IAEA removal of nuclear material from Syria’s secret Site 99 after Israel raises concerns over uranium and potential proliferation risks

Even as Trump's aim to secure enriched uranium from Iran remains a pipedream, US has managed to get its way in another country. According to a report, US has now brokered a deal whereby the international atomic energy agency will soon remove nuclear material stored at a clandestine site in Syria. Now, the facility in question is site 99, where the previous Bashar al-Assad's government had reportedly stored residue nuclear material from the Al-Kibar site. It is nearly 450 kilometres North East of Syria's capital Damascus. US accused Syria of building a secret nuclear reactor at Al-Kibar with North Korea's help during the tenure of Bashar al-Assad who was sentenced to death in absentia. However, back then, Syria denied this and asserted that it was an unused military facility under construction. It is pertinent to note that the west Asian nation is a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty which allows use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. In September 2007 though, things took a serious turn when Israel bombed the Al-Kibar site. IDF released footage which showed a target locking on to a building that is blown apart afterwards. Plumes of smoke were visible in the aftermath as Israeli security personnel monitored the operation. However, Syria didn't retaliate back then citing that Israel had struck unused military infrastructure. But, Israel acknowledged having carried out this strike only eleven years later in 2018. According to the Israeli military, four f-16s and four f-15s were involved in the operation which lasted for four hours. Defending the strike, it cited the strategic implications in Israel, Syria as well as the rest of West Asia. https://www.wionews.com/videos/syria-s-nuclear-material-to-be-removed-in-us-brokered-deal-report-says-1786471231513/embed It also noted that ISIS later overran the province in which this nuclear reactor is located. Israel claimed to have destroyed the nuclear reactor in its strike. According to Axios, the nuclear material transferred to site 99 included yellowcake, a powder from uranium ore, which can be eventually enriched as part of a nuclear cycle. The report added that this material can be used to build a bomb that disperses radioactive material to contaminate an area. Now, following Bashar al-Assad's ouster, IAEA got the nod from the Al-Sharaa-led government last year to access and inspect former nuclear sites in Syria including Al-Kibar. But what was the immediate trigger for the US to push for the removal of nuclear material from Syria? According to the report, it was Israel which reportedly raised the alarm. Several weeks ago, Israel detected movements in the area around site 99. Subsequently, it became concerned that the new Syrian government was trying to access the nuclear material with Turkiye's help. This is not all. As per the report, Israel threatened to bomb the site if the nuclear material was not removed. Thereafter, the Trump administration asked Israel not to take any action and scrambled to reach an agreement between IAEA and Syria to prevent another escalation in West Asia. Even as Trump and Al-Sharaa share a good rapport, the current incident is another manifestation of the lingering mistrust between Israel and Syria. This is because the Assad dynasty which ruled the country for over five decades played a crucial role in empowering Hezbollah and training its fighters. The Lebanon-based outfit also fought alongside Bashar al-Assad's forces in Syria's civil war. While this changed after Al-Sharaa took over, Syria and Israel are yet to establish diplomatic relations. In May this year, US along with experts from IAEA and UK removed all remaining enriched uranium in Venezuela. The material was subsequently transferred to US. This came months after America captured Venezuela's ex-president Nicolas Maduro and his wife. However, with Iran refusing to give in to any pressure, the question of enriched uranium remains unsolved in the ongoing talks between US and Iran.

US brokers Syria nuclear material removal after Israel warns of Site 99 risks, easing fears of proliferation amid tensions with Iran and Israel

Syria's nuclear material to be removed in US-brokered deal, report says | Gravitas

syria-nuclear

Syria Nuclear, News on Syria Nuclear, stories on Syria Nuclear, articles on Syria Nuclear, Syria Nuclear stories at Wion, Syria Nuclear news, Syria Nuclear latest news

syria nuclear

‘Secret reactor in Syria could have been used for nuclear weapons,’ says IAEA after finding 73 tonnes of natural uranium

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi says agency found ‘tonnes of nuclear material’ in Syria

Syria's nuclear material to be removed in US-brokered deal: Report | Gravitas