The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported Wednesday that its inspectors discovered 73 tonnes (80.5 US tons) of undeclared natural uranium metal at a newly declared site in Deir el-Zour, Syria, during August 2024 inspections, according to a confidential IAEA report circulated to member states and reviewed by The Associated Press. The IAEA, the United Nations nuclear watchdog, stated that the former Syrian Arab Republic authorities under Bashar Assad constructed an undeclared nuclear reactor in Deir el-Zour and failed to report nuclear material, facilities, and activities as required under the NPT Safeguards Agreement. The IAEA inspectors visited several sites in Syria in August 2024 and conducted verification work that confirmed the existence of a long-suspected nuclear facility. “The former Syrian authorities had failed to report nuclear material, facilities and activities as required under the NPT Safeguards Agreement,” the IAEA stated in its report. The IAEA’s findings included evidence of a nuclear reactor under construction in Deir el-Zour, a fuel fabrication plant, and a site used for fuel storage during Assad’s rule. The IAEA attributed these activities to the former Syrian Arab Republic authorities. According to the IAEA, Syria operated an extensive undeclared nuclear program, including a reactor reportedly built with North Korean assistance in eastern Deir el-Zour province. After Assad’s ouster, the new Syrian Arab Republic government granted IAEA inspectors access to suspected former nuclear sites. The IAEA inspectors, as detailed in the report, confirmed the presence of 73 tonnes (80.5 US tons) of natural uranium metal at the newly declared site, with all material now under IAEA containment and surveillance. Verification of Deir el-Zour site and regional context The Deir el-Zour site became widely known after Israeli airstrikes destroyed the facility in 2007. Syria subsequently leveled the site and did not fully respond to IAEA inquiries. Israel is widely believed by international observers to possess an undeclared atomic weapons program, making it the only country in the Middle East with nuclear weapons, according to multiple reports. Israel neither confirms nor denies having atomic weapons. IAEA inspectors took samples at the Deir el-Zour site in 2024 and reported in the previous year that the samples contained uranium particles. The new Syrian Arab Republic authorities have expressed interest in developing a civilian nuclear energy program and stated that any nuclear material found in Syria would remain under the country’s custody and subject to international safeguards. “Syria has no intention to pursue any military nuclear program. All nuclear material in the country is under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency and used solely for peaceful purposes,” said Dr. Nizar al-Assad, spokesperson for the Syrian Atomic Energy Commission, in a statement to Syrian state media on Thursday. The IAEA reported that its inspectors visited the Deir el-Zour site on Aug. 29 to monitor progress on excavation work. The agency stated: “Based on observations made at the location, the Agency confirms that the cooling infrastructure which has now been uncovered is consistent with that of a nuclear reactor,” the IAEA stated in its report. In its confidential report, the IAEA said three locations were “functionally related” to the Deir el-Zour site: one for “conversion and/or fuel fabrication activities,” another for “temporary storage of construction material,” and a third for “temporary storage of construction materials being transferred to/from” the site, as well as for “planned reprocessing activities.” Discovery of new undeclared site and uranium stockpile During the August visit, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi and a team of senior IAEA inspectors also visited a previously undeclared site in Syria. Syrian Arab Republic authorities notified the IAEA of the site’s existence in a July 17 letter and invited the agency “to cooperate with the Syrian authorities in the inspection and verification of the site and of any nuclear material to be potentially found,” the IAEA report quoted the letter as stating. The IAEA reported that the new site contained “natural uranium metal in the form of fuel rods with cladding,” according to the IAEA report. The IAEA inspectors verified the material and confirmed “the presence of around 73 tonnes (80.5 US tons) of natural uranium metal,” the IAEA stated. The IAEA stated that “all of this nuclear material is currently subject to Agency containment and surveillance measures,” according to the IAEA report. External perspectives and regional implications Dr. Mark Hibbs, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, commented, “The IAEA’s findings highlight the importance of transparency and continued international monitoring in the region. The discovery of such a large quantity of undeclared uranium raises proliferation concerns, especially given the regional security context.” Israel’s government spokesperson, Eylon Levy, reiterated Israel’s longstanding concerns, stating, “The international community must ensure that Syria’s nuclear activities remain strictly peaceful and fully transparent.” Independent verification of the IAEA’s findings by third parties is not currently possible, but the agency’s conclusions are based on direct inspections and laboratory analysis. Methodology and sources The findings are based on IAEA inspections and sampling conducted in August 2024, as well as confidential reports circulated to member states and reviewed by The Associated Press. The IAEA’s conclusions rely on site visits, laboratory analysis of samples, and official correspondence with Syrian Arab Republic authorities. External expert commentary was obtained from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.