The UN nuclear watchdog says a secret nuclear reactor built during the Assad era was almost complete and, if finished, could have produced nuclear material relevant to weapon making. The IAEA says it also identified a fuel fabrication plant and other related nuclear-material handling areas.
According to the outlets, IAEA inspectors visited two locations last month. One site is in Deir ez-Zor, while a second location was not publicly disclosed and was identified to inspectors by Syrian authorities. The IAEA chief’s comments, as reported, indicate the reactor’s status at the time it was identified raised proliferation concerns.
Reporting differs mainly in emphasis and phrasing. One outlet highlights the potential weapons relevance by saying the facility could have produced material for nuclear weapons, while others focus more on what inspectors found at the sites—such as fuel fabrication and storage of uranium scrap and waste—alongside the reactor’s near-complete state.
