The Syrian Atomic Energy Commission stated on Tuesday that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will announce “significant progress” on the issue of nuclear materials, without providing further details. This will happen during a visit by an IAEA delegation to Syria in the coming days.
However, a Syrian official familiar with the situation told Reuters that discussions with the IAEA on nuclear materials are still ongoing in general, and “no final agreement has been reached.” Earlier, on Monday, Axios reported, citing Israeli and American officials, that the IAEA will soon remove nuclear materials stored at a secret facility in Syria. According to the publication, this is the result of agreements between the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump with Syria and Israel. Syria has not commented on the possible removal of nuclear materials.
In June, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi stated that, as soon as circumstances permit, the agency plans to carry out additional work in this area to “fully clarify past nuclear activities in Syria.” The Syrian official also stated that consultations are ongoing to establish an international support group to coordinate the necessary technical and legal assistance. He noted that Syria is consulting with the IAEA to fulfill its obligations, and “Israel plays no role in this process.”
Nuclear legacy and international cooperation
After the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad at the end of 2024, the new Syrian authorities pledged to cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog to resolve the issue of the nuclear legacy accumulated during decades of rule by the Assad family.
According to available data, Syria does not have active stocks of nuclear materials for a nuclear weapons program. However, in 2007, Israel bombed a suspected Syrian nuclear reactor in the eastern province of Deir ez-Zor. In 2025, the IAEA stated that it had found traces of uranium during an investigation at this site. Traces were found in one of three unnamed locations.
Source: The Straits Times
