IAEA Confirms Syria's Secret Nuclear Site, Uranium Stockpile

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has concluded its investigation into Syria's nuclear program, determining that Damascus has fully cooperated, allowing all outstanding questions regarding the Assad regime's nuclear activities to be closed. A classified report, cited by Reuters and AP, details IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi's personal visit last month to a secret site whose existence was only revealed to the agency in July. At this site, 73 tons of natural metallic uranium were discovered, including 55 tons in the form of clad fuel rods. The IAEA confirmed that all nuclear material at the facility is now under the agency's containment and monitoring measures.

The report officially confirms what has been suspected for years: that the Al-Kibar facility, bombed by Israel in 2007, was indeed a nuclear reactor. An IAEA team's visit to the destroyed site in late August revealed cooling infrastructure consistent with a reactor.

The discovery of the new site and its material stockpile aligns with previous reports about "Site 99," where nuclear material was allegedly stored, leading to U.S.-mediated talks amid Israeli concerns about its continued presence in Damascus. The IAEA commended the regime of President Bashar al-Assad for its transparency and access granted to inspectors, contrasting this with the situation in Iran, where the agency stated it has been unable to resolve questions surrounding undeclared nuclear sites.