IAEA Confirms Assad-Era Syrian Nuclear Reactor Was Configured for Weaponry

Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani participated in a media conference in Damascus alongside Rafael Grossi from the IAEA, as the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Syria’s Assad-era nuclear facility was configured to produce material for possible use in nuclear weapons.

Speaking at a media conference in Vienna on Monday, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi explained that the nuclear reactor, investigated with the cooperation of Syria’s new authorities, was capable of producing fissile material for weapons. "This is a reactor that is very efficient in the production of fissile material that could be used directly for the fabrication of nuclear weapons," he stated.

Grossi’s remarks followed a confidential report a week prior from the UN watchdog, revealing visits to several sites in Syria in August for verification work. Observations at the Deir Az Zor site allowed the agency to confirm "that the cooling infrastructure which has now been uncovered is consistent with that of a nuclear reactor," adding that monitoring would continue as excavation work progresses.

Under former President Bashar al-Assad, Syria was believed to have operated an extensive, undeclared nuclear programme featuring a North Korea-built reactor in Deir Az Zor, which became public knowledge after 2007 Israeli air strikes destroyed the facility. Syria subsequently levelled the site and left IAEA questions unanswered.

Grossi noted that during the August inspection, inspectors had to "tear down walls" and navigate "very difficult and narrow passages" to reach hidden nuclear material amid scattered boxes. Emphasizing that "the important thing is that this material now is under safeguards," Grossi confirmed that agency inspectors successfully installed cameras at the location.

While Israel is believed to maintain its own undeclared atomic weapons programme as the sole nuclear-armed country in the Middle East, it maintains a policy of ambiguity. The IAEA previously noted that former Syrian authorities failed to report nuclear material, facilities, and activities, which included a fuel fabrication plant and a store for nuclear fuel, uranium scrap, and waste alongside the Deir Az Zor reactor.

During last month's visit, an IAEA team also inspected a previously undeclared site after the Syrian administration—formed by the group that overthrew Assad in 2024—notified the agency of its existence in July and invited inspectors to investigate.