IAEA Ends Syria's Nuclear Non-Compliance Status After 15 Years

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has officially closed a major chapter concerning Syria's past nuclear activities, with its 35-nation Board of Governors unanimously voting to lift Syria's non-compliance status. This decision concludes the procedures initiated against Damascus in 2011.

The resolution followed cooperation from the new Syrian government with the IAEA to resolve outstanding issues related to nuclear activities from the era of former President Bashar al-Assad, including the site at Deir ez-Zor that Israel destroyed in 2007. An IAEA report indicated that the Israeli-bombed Deir ez-Zor site was "very likely" a nuclear reactor, with fuel for it produced within Syria.

For years, the Assad regime refused to provide complete answers about the site and its associated activities, prompting the Board of Governors to declare Syria in breach of its safeguards obligations in 2011 and refer the matter to the UN Security Council. However, after the fall of the Assad regime in late 2024, Syrian authorities expressed readiness to cooperate with the IAEA and grant inspectors access to relevant sites.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated that the new authorities assisted in addressing the pending issues, while the agency continued verification activities at Deir ez-Zor and other locations. The Syrian Atomic Energy Commission welcomed the decision, calling it a "historic milestone" that paves the way for developing peaceful nuclear applications in medicine, agriculture, energy, and scientific research.

The resolution, submitted by Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia, commended Syria's cooperation and transparency while urging continued collaboration with the IAEA, including excavation and verification at the Deir ez-Zor site. Lifting the non-compliance status ends the old case procedures but does not terminate the IAEA's presence or ongoing verification activities in Syria. Grossi will continue to report to the Board of Governors as needed on the agency's findings in the country.

This development occurs as Damascus seeks to rebuild its international relations, with the legacy of the secret nuclear project under Assad remaining a sensitive issue in Syria's relationship with Israel and the international community.