Syrian Foreign Minister Asad al-Sheibani announced that nuclear material found in the country will remain in Syrian possession under IAEA supervision, asserting a sovereign right to peaceful nuclear energy. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated the material amounts to several tons and warned of potential misuse. Syria has opened the Deir ez-Zor nuclear site to IAEA inspectors for the first time in years.
Syria's new government has formally acknowledged the presence of nuclear material in the country and taken the unprecedented step of opening the Deir ez-Zor site to IAEA inspectors. The announcement by Foreign Minister al-Sheibani marks a significant departure from the decades of secrecy maintained by the Assad regime. The site at Deir ez-Zor, believed to be a remnant of Syria's clandestine nuclear program that culminated in the 2007 Israeli strike on Al-Kibar, is now being inspected for the first time.
IAEA Director General Grossi's warning about potential misuse of the material underscores the international community's concern over the security of these radioactive stocks. The material, described as several tons, is believed to include yellowcake uranium and other byproducts of a halted weapons program.
This development follows earlier reports by The Zioneer regarding a coordinated U.S.-IAEA effort to remove nuclear material from secret Syrian sites. While the previous reports focused on the so-called 'Site 99,' the opening of Deir ez-Zor suggests a broader transparency effort by the new Syrian administration. The IAEA's ability to secure and monitor these materials is seen as a critical test of the post-Assad nuclear cleanup.
3 developments
- DevelopingSyria announces IAEA delegation to declare 'significant progress' on dismantling Assad-era nuclear facility
- StrongIAEA chief Grossi says agency inspectors will monitor Iranian nuclear sites under MOU
- DevelopingIAEA chief Grossi says agency monitoring Bushehr reactor, urges restraint
- DevelopingSyria's Interior Ministry says it found several Grad rockets hidden in Daraa province near Israeli border
Source and signal
- Open-source intake