The IAEA reported the discovery of traces of uranium in Syria from a possible nuclear reactor

Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have discovered traces of uranium in Syria, which may be related to the facility that was destroyed by Israel in 2007. The building could have been a secretly built nuclear reactor, the Reuters news agency reported on September 2, citing an IAEA report.

"A report submitted to member states on Monday said that the United Nations nuclear watchdog had found traces of uranium in Syria during an investigation into a building destroyed by Israel in 2007. The agency has long believed that it was probably an undeclared nuclear reactor," the publication says.

At the same time, the previous Syrian government of former head of state Bashar al-Assad claimed that the facility located in the province of Deir ez-Zor was allegedly an ordinary military base.

Assumptions about the true nature of the building appeared in the IAEA in 2011, but until now, experts have not been able to come to a final conclusion. It is reported that an investigation into the issue was resumed last year, and environmental samples were taken in three unnamed areas of the province.

"[It was found] a significant amount of natural uranium particles in samples taken at one of the three locations. The analysis of these particles showed that the uranium is of anthropogenic origin, that is, it was obtained as a result of chemical processing," the agency quotes a fragment of the report.

However, the term "natural" implies that the uranium has not been enriched.

In turn, the current Syrian authorities have stated that they have no information that can explain the presence of uranium in the samples. In June 2025, the new authorities again allowed the IAEA to enter the facility and take the necessary samples.

At a meeting the same month between the head of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, "Syria agreed to cooperate with the agency on the basis of full transparency in the investigation of Syria's past nuclear activities," the article says.

In addition, during the meeting, Grossi asked for the opportunity to return to the province to conduct additional analysis, review documentation and talk with people who were involved in Syria's nuclear activities in the past.

Nuclear breakthrough: Iran agrees to continue dialogue with Europe

However, there are still risks of the Islamic Republic's withdrawal from the NPT and the outbreak of a new war in the Middle East.

On June 21, it became known about the US attack on three Iranian nuclear facilities. US President Donald Trump said that the attack was aimed at three Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan. According to Trump, the operation was successful. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that American strikes could change history.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, in turn, accused the United States of violating the UN Charter, international law and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The minister stressed that the attack from Washington would have lasting consequences.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.