The UN nuclear watchdog has resolved outstanding questions over suspected secret nuclear activities in Syria under the Assad family’s rule, but has made no progress in verifying Iran’s nuclear material, according to confidential reports seen by Reuters on Tuesday.
The International Atomic Energy Agency praised Syria’s new authorities for their “transparency and cooperation” in helping clarify past nuclear activities and account for material that remains in the country.
The IAEA said it had received the information and access needed from Syria to resolve outstanding safeguards issues that had previously been reported to its Board of Governors.
The agency confirmed that a site in Syria’s eastern Deir al-Zor province, bombed by Israel in 2007, had been a nuclear reactor under construction.
It also confirmed the presence of about 73 metric tonnes of natural uranium metal at a related location, including 55 tonnes in the form of fuel rods.
The nuclear material is currently under IAEA containment and surveillance measures, the agency said.
The IAEA concluded that Syria’s former authorities had failed to declare nuclear material, facilities and activities as required. Syria has since provided nuclear material accounting reports and design information to address the issue.
The situation in Iran remains unresolved, with IAEA inspectors still unable to return to nuclear sites that were hit by U.S. and Israeli strikes in June 2025.
Before the attacks, the IAEA estimated that Iran had 440.9 kg of uranium enriched to up to 60 per cent purity, a level close to the roughly 90 per cent enrichment generally considered weapons-grade. The agency has said that quantity could provide enough material for about 10 nuclear weapons if enriched further.
The IAEA said it had lost continuity of knowledge over Iran’s previously declared stocks of enriched uranium and could not establish how much of the material remains.
The agency described the lack of information and access as a “matter of proliferation concern” that needs to be addressed urgently.
The reports were circulated to member states ahead of next week’s quarterly meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors.
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