IAEA finds ‘few tons’ of nuclear material in Syria, says it will go under ‘safeguards’

Syrian authorities have reported the presence of nuclear materials at an undeclared site to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA's director-general, Rafael Grossi, said that several tons of nuclear material were found, which could be put to bad use if not properly safeguarded. According to Grossi, the material will be put under international safeguards, and Syrian and IAEA experts will work together to safely store it.

The site in question was reportedly bombed by Israel in 2007, and according to The Times of Israel, Grossi toured this site and is increasingly convinced it was a nuclear facility. The material was found to be in Syrian national custody, and Syria's Foreign Minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, stated that technical assessments indicate the materials do not pose a risk.

Syria has granted access to a secret nuclear site in Deir Ezzor, as reported by The National UAE, and reaffirmed its right to the civilian and peaceful use of nuclear energy. The country's authorities have taken the initiative to bring these issues to the IAEA's attention, out of a desire for full transparency and to establish Syria as a source of regional stability and security.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Times of Israel, RTE News, The National UAE, Haaretz, France 24 — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.