Syria’s Assad-era reactor configured for nuclear weapons: IAEA

A UN nuclear watchdog has determined that Syria's Assad-era reactor at Deir Az Zor was engineered specifically to generate fissile material suitable for nuclear weapons production. The facility, which was bombed by Israel in 2007 and subsequently demolished by Syrian authorities, operated as part of an extensive undeclared nuclear program that remained largely secret until the military action exposed its existence.

Following Syria's political transition in 2024, the country's new administration invited IAEA inspectors to investigate the site and related nuclear installations. During an August visit, agency personnel had to remove walls and navigate through narrow, concealed passages to locate nuclear material that had been deliberately hidden. The inspection team discovered scattered boxes and confirmed that recently uncovered cooling infrastructure matched that of an operational nuclear reactor.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi emphasized that the reactor represented an efficient system for producing weapons-grade material, noting its technical sophistication. Beyond the reactor itself, inspectors identified additional undeclared nuclear facilities including a fuel fabrication plant and storage areas containing uranium scrap and waste. The new Syrian authorities also revealed previously unknown sites to the agency.

A significant outcome of the August inspection was the placement of all discovered nuclear material under IAEA safeguards, with international monitoring cameras now installed at the facility. Grossi stressed that this development represented an important step in securing the material and preventing proliferation risks. The agency indicated it would continue oversight activities as excavation work at the site progresses, though the former Syrian government had previously resisted full disclosure regarding its nuclear activities.