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UN atomic watchdog finds tons of nuclear material at Syrian site
🇵🇰 Pakistan /Energy & Infrastructure

UN atomic watchdog finds tons of nuclear material at Syrian site

From Dawn · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • The UN's nuclear watchdog discovered several tons of nuclear material at a Syrian site.
  • Inspectors visited two locations, including one recently identified by Syria.
  • The agency head praised Syria's decision to report the undisclosed site, which will be placed under international safeguards.

The head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog announced Tuesday that inspectors found several tons of nuclear material at a site in Syria. The discovery was made at a location that Damascus recently reported to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated that inspectors visited two sites, one in Deir Ezzor and a second, newly identified location. He described the material found as "a few tons" that could be "put to bad use." Grossi praised Syria's "courageous decision" to report the previously undisclosed site, which reportedly dates back to the era of former leader Bashar al-Assad.

We are talking about a few tons of nuclear material that could be put to bad use.

— Rafael GrossiSpeaking at a news conference in Damascus about the discovery of nuclear material.

Grossi assured that the nuclear material would be placed under international safeguards. Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani confirmed that his country officially declared the presence of nuclear materials in a letter to the agency on July 17, acting of its own free will. The agency is working to ensure the material is secured and accounted for.

On July 17, we sent an official letter to the agency, in which we declared of our own free will the presence of nuclear materials at an [undisclosed site].

— Asaad al-ShaibaniSpeaking at a joint press conference with Grossi in Damascus.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dawn in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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