19.08.2026 00:10
Several tons of nuclear material have been found in Syria, left over from the deposed Bashar al-Assad regime. In a statement regarding the material detected in Deir ez-Zor province, the International Atomic Energy Agency said, 'We have accessed the site, we have seen it, and there is a lot of work ahead of us. We will work to catalog all this material and ensure it is safely secured.'
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi held a joint press conference in the capital Damascus.
"SEVERAL TONS OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL" FOUND STORED IN DEIR EZZOR
IAEA Director General Grossi announced that "several tons of nuclear material" stored at an previously inaccessible site in Syria's Deir Ezzor province, left over from the ousted regime era, had been found, and that the area had been opened to IAEA inspectors.
Stating that IAEA experts and Syrian Atomic Energy Commission teams would begin intensive work at the site, Grossi said, "We have accessed the site, we have seen it, and there is a lot of work ahead of us. We will work to keep records of all this material and ensure it is safely preserved."
"NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IN SYRIA WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH ENERGY, HEALTH, FOOD AND WATER MANAGEMENT"
IAEA Director General Grossi stated that this process signifies a "new page," but emphasizes that this is not about forgetting the past, but about "confronting the past," and expressed that the determination of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and the Syrian Atomic Energy Commission to work with the IAEA is commendable.
Grossi, noting that through joint efforts, nuclear activities in Syria will no longer be associated with nuclear weapons, said, "Nuclear technology will be associated with energy, health, food and water management. As it should be. So, as I said, today is truly a good day."
SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AL-SHIBANI: BELONGING TO THE OVERTHROWN REGIME
Al-Shibani, mentioning the "nuclear legacy of the ousted regime" in Syria, stated that this does not reflect the new state's policy.
Al-Shibani, saying that Syria, based on technical assessments, has confirmed that these materials do not pose any danger, are under Syria's national responsibility, and will be kept under the IAEA's safeguards inspection system, stated: "We invited the Agency (IAEA) to inspect and verify the site. We provided the necessary conditions for the Agency team's access to and security at the area. The Director General and the agency team visited the site this morning and took the necessary samples. This is our choice derived from our own convictions, far from any imposition. This approach is within a cooperation framework conducted closely with our international partners and strengthening national efforts."
Al-Shibani, noting that Syria revealed the facts and the IAEA verified them as the expert body, stated they expect a decision from the Board of Governors in its September session to close the non-compliance file that has been ongoing since 2011.
Al-Shibani, emphasizing Syria's commitment to its right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes such as medicine, agriculture, scientific research, and electricity generation, highlighted that efforts are underway to form an international support group to strengthen its program and invited partners to this initiative.