IAEA: Several tonnes of nuclear material discovered during inspection in Syria

According to official statements, Syria has never operated a declared nuclear programme. Nevertheless, the IAEA had already determined in an investigation report in 2011 that a destroyed facility in the country displayed characteristics of a secret reactor that had shown similarities to a reactor in the nuclear-weapon state North Korea.

Background: A questionable past

The current discovery thus ties into a years-long trail of investigation by the agency. The IAEA had repeatedly urged Syria to provide complete information about possible undeclared nuclear activities. The current find is considered evidence that earlier suspicions were not unfounded.

The background to the new inspection is a changed political situation in Damascus. Following the fall of the government of Bashar al-Assad, the new Syrian leadership under Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani had signalled a fundamental willingness to cooperate with international inspectors. The IAEA used this opening to clarify questions that had been open for years.

New leadership signals cooperation

According to consistent reports, Assad al-Shaibani declared that his country wanted to establish full transparency and adhere to international disarmament standards. This announcement marks a remarkable departure from the previous line of the former government, which had been characterised by secrecy.

Grossi emphasised that access to the affected sites had only been possible thanks to cooperation with the new Syrian authorities. He also stressed that the inspectors had been granted unhindered access and that no obstructions had been documented. This was an important step in building trust.

Israel, which had attacked Syrian facilities several times in the past, reacted cautiously to the find. From Jerusalem, it was merely said that developments were being closely monitored. Indications that the recovered material is directly connected to a military nuclear programme have not been publicly substantiated so far.

Analysis and international reactions

The IAEA announced that the material would be analysed in greater detail in the coming weeks. Initial samples are to be examined in specialised laboratories outside Syria. The aim is to clarify beyond any doubt the origin, purpose, and possible involvement of third states.

International observers assess the find as politically highly sensitive. Should it be confirmed that the material stems from an undeclared programme, this would have far-reaching consequences for the assessment of the former Syrian government under Bashar al-Assad. The role of North Korea in the alleged supply of reactor technology could also be reassessed.

The United Nations simultaneously called on Syria to fully clarify all remaining suspicions. The UN Secretariat and the Security Council were informed according to sources from diplomatic circles. According to this information, a special session is not currently planned, but could be convened at short notice.

Outlook on further inspections

Syria thus stands at a turning point: the new leadership can regain international trust through cooperation, but at the same time risks having to disclose the full extent of former secret programmes. Observers see the find as a litmus test for the credibility of the political change in Damascus.

According to Grossi, the IAEA inspectors are to remain in the country until the ongoing investigations are completed. Further sites are to be inspected in the coming months in order to obtain as complete a picture as possible of the nuclear remnants.