UN Nuclear Watchdog Says Secret Syrian Reactor Could Have Produced Weapons-Grade Material
IAEA chief says a covert facility built during Bashar al-Assad's rule, if completed, could have generated fissile material usable in nuclear weapons.
A nearly complete nuclear reactor built in secret during the rule of ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad would have been capable of producing fissile material with potential use in nuclear weapons, according to the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog.
The disclosure was made by the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Guardian reported, following inspections carried out last month at two sites in Syria.
According to the report, IAEA inspectors visited a site in Deir ez-Zor as well as a second, previously undisclosed location that Syrian authorities identified to the agency.
The findings add to longstanding suspicions about Syria's nuclear activities under Assad's government, which was toppled amid the country's civil conflict. The IAEA has for years sought access to sites in Syria believed to be linked to undeclared nuclear work.
The Guardian did not provide further details on the current status of the facility or on any response from Syrian authorities regarding the IAEA's findings.
Sources
- Syrian reactor could have been used for nuclear weapons if completed, UN says — The Guardian — World
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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