IAEA: Syrian reactor destroyed in 2007 could have produced nuclear weapons material

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi has revealed that a secret nuclear reactor in Deir ez-Zor, Syria, was nearly complete at the time it was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in 2007. Grossi stated that the facility was designed to be highly efficient in producing fissile material that could be used directly for the manufacture of nuclear weapons.

Recent investigations into Syria’s past nuclear activities have yielded what Grossi described as a “historic breakthrough.” Following increased cooperation and access granted by Syrian authorities, inspectors discovered approximately 73 metric tons of natural uranium metal, primarily in the form of reactor fuel, at an undisclosed site near Damascus. The agency and the Syrian government have agreed to place this undeclared material under routine IAEA safeguards.

The findings confirm previous suspicions regarding undeclared nuclear activities under the previous administration. Grossi noted that the Deir ez-Zor site’s infrastructure, including cooling systems, was consistent with a nuclear reactor, and that the fuel for the facility had been manufactured domestically without being declared to the agency.