Syrian reactor could have been used for nuclear weapons, IAEA says
The IAEA has confirmed that a nuclear reactor constructed in Syria during the Bashar Assad era was designed to produce fissile material for potential weapons. Following the regime's ouster, the new government has granted inspectors access to verify these sites.
Why it matters
This revelation provides critical insight into historical nuclear proliferation risks in the Middle East and the potential for new transparency under a changed government.
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VIENNA (AP) — The Assad-era government in Syria was constructing a nuclear reactor that was configured to produce fissile material for possible use in nuclear weapons, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said on Monday.
The “configuration” and the “technical features” of the nuclear reactor under construction in Syria during the leadership of ousted former President Bashar Assad were “very efficient in the production of fissile material that could be directly used for the fabrication of nuclear weapons,” IAEA director general Rafael Grossi said.
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