UN inspectors begin excavation at suspected nuclear site in Syria
Inspectors with the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog have begun excavating at a site believed to be linked to a clandestine nuclear program run by Syria’s former government, reports BritPanorama.
This announcement coincides with Syria’s new government pledging to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Syria’s top diplomat stated Thursday that Damascus remains interested in developing a peaceful nuclear program and intends to keep any nuclear material under international safeguards.
Under former President Bashar Assad, Syria operated an extensive undeclared nuclear program, including a nuclear reactor built by North Korea in eastern Deir el-Zour province. Assad’s regime permitted limited access for IAEA inspectors, yet concerns regarding transparency remained.
The interim administration led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa has committed to full cooperation with the UN watchdog, granting inspectors access to suspected nuclear sites. “Myself and my team were inside the site of Deir el-Zour, where very comprehensive work of excavation and exploration is taking place now,” IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi stated during a news conference in Damascus.
He revealed that another site containing nuclear material has also been discovered, although no specific details were disclosed. Grossi emphasized the significance of Syria’s cooperation, noting that “we’re talking about a few tons of nuclear material that could be put to bad use,” indicating that Syria has agreed to open this site to IAEA inspectors and ensure accountability for the nuclear material.
Syria’s new leadership has expressed an interest in developing nuclear energy, with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani asserting that based on technical evaluations, the material does not pose any danger and will remain in Syria’s custody under the agency’s safeguard system.
The site in Deir el-Zour gained international attention following Israeli airstrikes in 2007 that destroyed the facility, after which Syria leveled it, leaving many IAEA inquiries unanswered. In 2024, before Assad was deposed, inspections revealed traces of uranium at one site after samples were taken from multiple locations.
Israel is widely regarded as the only state in the Middle East with nuclear weapons, although it has not officially acknowledged its nuclear program.
