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Syrian reactor could have been used for nuclear weapons, IAEA says
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) revealed that Syria, under former President Bashar Assad, was constructing a nuclear reactor designed to produce fissile material potentially usable for nuclear weapons.
- IAEA inspectors confirmed the presence of around 73 tonnes of natural uranium metal fuel rods at a previously undisclosed site in Syria, which was hidden behind walls and difficult passages.
- The nuclear material is now under IAEA safeguards, with installed cameras monitoring the site, but the decision on whether the material remains in Syria or is removed lies with the Syrian government.
- Experts note that while natural uranium metal is not directly weaponizable, it could be processed further into plutonium for nuclear weapons, and secure transport to a third country for safe disposition is possible but would require stringent security measures.
