IAEA confirms Syria built undeclared nuclear reactor under Assad

The International Atomic Energy Agency said Wednesday that Syria built a nuclear reactor at a site in Deir Az Zor province in violation of its international obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The reactor, which was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in 2007, had never been declared to the IAEA, marking a significant breach of Syria's safeguards agreement with the UN watchdog.

In a damning assessment, the IAEA concluded that Syria engaged in a pattern of non-disclosure spanning years, failing to report nuclear material, facilities and related activities to international inspectors. The agency said the undeclared nuclear programme represented a serious breach of Syria's commitments under international law and raised significant concerns about the country's nuclear intentions during the Assad administration.

The IAEA investigation documented that Syria had possessed and concealed nuclear material and technical knowledge related to the reactor project. The findings underscore the challenges faced by international nuclear regulators in monitoring compliance and detecting clandestine nuclear activities in the region.

The case has added to international scrutiny of Syria's broader weapons programmes, which have been subject to UN investigations and international sanctions. The IAEA said its investigation into Syria's undeclared nuclear activities remains ongoing as inspectors seek to establish the full scope of the country's nuclear history.