Secret Assad-era Syrian nuclear reactor was almost complete

VIENNA: The chief of the UN nuclear watchdog has revealed that a near-complete nuclear reactor built secretly during the Assad regime could produce material for nuclear weapons, according to an IAEA report. Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency visited two sites in Syria, one in Deir Ezzor and another undisclosed location provided by Syrian authorities.

The reactor, currently being excavated, was almost complete, according to IAEA head Rafael Grossi. It would have been highly efficient in producing fissile material for nuclear weapons, he stated. The reactor was built alongside a fuel fabrication plant, a location for nuclear fuel storage, and a site where uranium scrap and waste were kept.

Grossi praised Syria's decision to disclose the undisclosed site, as the IAEA had previously declared in 2011 that it was likely to host a nuclear reactor, suggesting assistance from North Korea. The IAEA board is now deciding whether to close the file opened in 2011, and a draft resolution proposes closing it. However, questions remain about the scope of the reactor and Syria's cooperation with North Korea, according to the Institute for Science and International Security.