IAEA prepares to remove nuclear materials from a secret site in Syria
U.S. officials say the facility contains uranium concentrates known as “yellowcake,” a material produced by processing uranium ore and used in the early stages of nuclear fuel production.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is preparing to remove nuclear materials from a “secret site” in Syria, the U.S. website Axios reported on Tuesday, as the Syrian government simultaneously announced the arrival of an Agency delegation.
According to U.S. and Israeli officials cited by the outlet, Washington and Tel Aviv have held discussions for more than a year regarding nuclear materials believed to be located at a secret site in Syria.
Israeli officials had previously stated that the ousted regime of Bashar al-Assad had stored nuclear materials at a facility referred to as “Site 99,” which were remnants of a previous nuclear reactor project.
They also said that Israel had informed the United States that it could “strike the area” if the nuclear materials were not removed from the site.
U.S. officials, for their part, said the facility contains uranium concentrates known as “yellowcake,” a material produced through the processing of uranium ore and used during the early stages of nuclear fuel production. They added that the site also contains other nuclear materials left over from a previous nuclear project dating back to the era of the ousted regime.
According to the officials, the United States asked Israel not to take military action regarding the nuclear materials.
They said Washington had reached understandings with Israel and Damascus regarding the removal of the nuclear materials and had involved the International Atomic Energy Agency in the process.
The officials said the Agency began preparations after reaching an agreement with Syria on the removal of the nuclear materials from the site.
The change of power in Damascus has created an opportunity to reopen the issue from a different perspective. Syria’s new government faces the nuclear legacy left by the previous regime, alongside the need to establish a more transparent relationship with international institutions. Cooperation with the IAEA is particularly important for Damascus as it seeks to rebuild its international relations and demonstrate its commitment to international agreements and safeguards governing the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
The IAEA’s role in Syria is not limited to monitoring and verification. Its cooperation with the Syrian authorities also extends to the peaceful applications of nuclear technology, particularly in nuclear medicine, cancer treatment, agriculture, and industry. This avenue allows Damascus to present its cooperation with the Agency as part of the reconstruction of state institutions and the development of civilian sectors, rather than as an issue exclusively linked to the legacy of the former nuclear program.
This comes at a time when the issue of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East remains highly sensitive, particularly amid persistent Israeli concerns about the emergence of clandestine nuclear programs in countries across the region. Addressing the Syrian issue through the IAEA could provide an international mechanism for verifying the nature of the materials and sites associated with the previous program, rather than leaving the matter vulnerable to speculation or unilateral military action.
