Assad-era Syrian reactor configured for nuclear weapons, says IAEA chief

A secret Syrian facility dating back to the rule of former President Bashar Al-Assad was configured for nuclear weapons production, according to Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The facility, a nuclear reactor, was nearly complete when it was bombed by Israel in 2007. According to the IAEA chief, the reactor's configuration and technical features made it "very efficient" for producing fissile material that could be used directly in nuclear weapons.

The IAEA has been investigating Syria's past nuclear activities, and Grossi said the agency had found that the Assad-era government was building a nuclear reactor. Inspectors visited two sites, one in Deir Ezzor and another undisclosed location, and found evidence of a reactor fuel manufacture plant. The IAEA considers this a "serious proliferation concern".

The reactor was reportedly built with the help of North Korea in eastern Deir el-Zour province. The Syrian government has denied the existence of an undeclared nuclear program, but has agreed to give IAEA inspectors access to suspected former nuclear sites. The IAEA's findings have raised concerns about the potential for nuclear proliferation in the region.

Brief written by urgent.news from Qatar Tribune, The Times of Israel, Arabian Post, Al-Monitor, Associated Press — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.