Syrian reactor could have been used for nuclear weapons if completed, UN says

Key facts

• A secret nuclear reactor in Syria, built under Bashar al-Assad, could have been used to produce fissile material for nuclear weapons.
• IAEA inspectors visited two sites in Syria, including a previously undeclared location.
• Approximately 73 tonnes of natural uranium metal in the form of fuel rods were found at the undeclared site.
• The discovered nuclear material is now under IAEA safeguards.
• The Syrian government will determine the future of the nuclear material.

A secret nuclear reactor built in Syria during the rule of Bashar al-Assad would have been capable of producing fissile material for nuclear weapons, according to Rafael Grossi, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog.

Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) visited two sites in Syria last month, including a previously undisclosed location. Grossi stated that the previous Syrian government pursued clandestine activities and that the reactor's configuration was efficient for producing fissile material.

Syria notified the IAEA of the undeclared site in July and invited inspectors. During an August visit, IAEA inspectors confirmed the presence of approximately 73 tonnes of natural uranium metal in the form of fuel rods. Grossi noted that inspectors had to access the hidden material by "tear[ing] down walls" and navigating "difficult and narrow passages."

Grossi emphasized that the material is now under IAEA safeguards and that cameras have been installed. The decision on whether to remove the material rests with the Syrian government. Logan Mintz, a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative, explained that natural uranium metal is not directly usable for weapons but can be processed into plutonium. She added that the material could be transported to a third country for safe disposition.