The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reportedly discovered several tons of nuclear material at a site in Syria inherited from the Assad regime's failed nuclear program. The material, described as mostly harmless yellowcake, will remain in Syrian custody under IAEA safeguards, Syrian authorities said.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has discovered several tons of yellowcake uranium at a site in Syria, Syrian authorities confirmed today. The material, described as mostly harmless, will remain under Syrian national custody and IAEA safeguards. This update follows yesterday evening's announcement by Syrian Foreign Minister Asad al-Sheibani, who confirmed the country's possession of nuclear material and opened the Deir ez-Zor nuclear site to IAEA inspectors for the first time in years.
On Tuesday evening (Aug 18, 19:16 Jerusalem), Sheibani asserted Syria's sovereign right to peaceful nuclear energy, while IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated that the material amounts to several tons and warned of potential misuse. The discovery and subsequent verification mark a significant remnant of the Assad regime's defunct nuclear program, which was dismantled after international scrutiny.
The site, linked to the ousted regime's past nuclear ambitions, has now been subject to IAEA inspection. As The Zioneer reported on Tuesday, Syria's opening of the Deir ez-Zor site represents a shift in transparency. The material's classification as yellowcake—a low-enriched uranium concentrate—indicates it is not immediately weapons-grade, though Grossi cautioned against any potential diversion.
It remains unclear whether additional nuclear materials are still present at other undisclosed locations in Syria, and the full scope of IAEA oversight is still being implemented. No timeline for the completion of inspections was provided.
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