IAEA to visit Syria after US-brokered deal to remove nuclear material from secret site
Damascus says inspectors will announce ‘significant progress’ after months of US-mediated talks and Israeli strike threats over Assad-era material that officials feared could be accessed or used in a ‘dirty bomb’
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is set to visit Syria to announce significant progress in removing nuclear material from a secret site, following a US-brokered deal. Axios reported that the IAEA plans to begin the removal process after a diplomatic arrangement was secured between the US and Syria, along with Israel.
The material, which includes yellowcake uranium concentrate, could be used in a "dirty bomb" but isn't directly usable for a nuclear weapon. Israeli officials had previously bombed Site 99, a facility suspected of storing the material, to prevent unauthorized access. The US and Israel ensured Israel wouldn't accept the material remaining at the site and threatened to strike it again if necessary.
However, both nations ultimately agreed that removing the material in Syria's consent would be the best solution. The IAEA and Syria signed an agreement to remove the material from Site 99, with work still ongoing as of the report.
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