Syrian reactor could have been used for nuclear weapons if completed, UN says
UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi confirmed that a secret, nearly complete nuclear reactor in Syria, built during the Assad era, was capable of producing fissile material for weapons. The facility, located in Deir ez-Zor, was part of a clandestine program supported by North Korean technology.
Why it matters
This revelation underscores the long-term security implications of clandestine nuclear proliferation and the importance of international inspections in post-conflict regions.
People stand near a ripped poster of Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo, Syria, in November 2024. People stand near a ripped poster of Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo, Syria, in November 2024. Syria Syrian reactor could have been used for nuclear weapons if completed, UN says Chief of nuclear watchdog says secret Assad-era facility would have been able to produce fissile material
Prefer the Guardian on Google A nearly complete nuclear reactor built secretly during the rule of the toppled Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad would have been able to produce fissile material for possible use in nuclear weapons, the chief of the UN nuclear watchdog has revealed.
Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last month visited two sites, one in Deir ez-Zor and a second in an undisclosed location identified to them by Syrian authorities.
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