Syria grants IAEA access to tons of undeclared nuclear material

IAEA Syria nuclear material Rafael Grossi Deir el-Zour Ahmad al-Sharaa

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has begun excavating a site in Deir el-Zour, Syria, linked to a clandestine nuclear program from the previous Bashar al-Assad administration. IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi announced that several tons of nuclear material, which could be subject to misuse, have been identified.

Following the fall of the Assad regime in late 2024, the new Syrian government, led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, has pledged full cooperation with the UN watchdog. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani stated that the government voluntarily disclosed the existence of the undeclared sites in July and maintains that the material does not pose a danger. He emphasized that the material will remain in Syrian custody under international safeguards while the country pursues peaceful nuclear energy.

Reports indicate the material may include yellowcake, a uranium ore concentrate. This development follows years of restricted access to suspected nuclear sites in Syria due to civil war and previous political resistance.

Entities

Ahmad al-Sharaa · Asaad al-Shibani · International Atomic Energy Agency · Rafael Mariano Grossi · Syria

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[○ 1 SOURCE] IAEA inspectors have begun excavation at a site in Deir el-Zour linked to a clandestine nuclear program. wtop.com
[● 7 SOURCES] Syria informed the IAEA in July about large stocks of nuclear material. www.leinetal24.de · www.bbv-net.de · www.onetz.de · www.ruhrnachrichten.de · observador.pt · +2 more
[DISPUTED] There are several tons of nuclear material in Syria that could be misused. www.leinetal24.de · www.bbv-net.de · www.onetz.de · www.ruhrnachrichten.de · wtop.com · +2 more
[● 4 SOURCES] The nuclear material includes yellowcake, a uranium ore concentrate. www.leinetal24.de · www.bbv-net.de · www.onetz.de · www.ruhrnachrichten.de
[● 2 SOURCES] The new Syrian government under President Ahmad al-Sharaa has pledged full cooperation with the IAEA. matzav.com · wtop.com
[DISPUTED] The nuclear material does not pose a danger and will remain in Syrian custody under international safeguards. matzav.com · wtop.com