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Syria built clandestine atomic reactor, says Israeli nuclear chief

In March, IAEA director Rafael Grossi visited Syria for talks with Syrian leaders about the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Israel’s atomic chief warned that Syria has built an undeclared nuclear facility in remarks at the International Atomic Energy Agency’s conference in Vienna on Tuesday.

“Syria, which built an undeclared, clandestine nuclear reactor at Deir al-Zour, optimized for plutonium production, has been in non-compliance with its safeguards obligations for over a decade,” said Moshe Edri, Director General of Israel’s Atomic Energy Commission.

“Syria has recently followed the footsteps of its close ally, Iran, and is pretending to cooperate in good faith with the Agency, while not admitting the full facts, and not providing true answers to the Agency’s questions. The international community should stand behind the IAEA with a goal towards receiving clear, full, explanations from Syria, once and for all.”

In March, IAEA director Rafael Grossi visited Syria for talks with Syrian leaders about the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. It was the first visit by an IAEA official to Syria since 2011 when international nuclear inspectors fled the country during the Syrian Civil War.

Grossi’s visit sought to revive an investigation into a nuclear facility at Deir al-Zour destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in 2007. Israel did not confirm responsibility for the airstrike until 2018.

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Edri also called on the international community to take stronger measures against Iran’s nuclear program.

“Iran continues to be the main source of regional instability, and poses a threat to peace and security worldwide. This reality requires the full attention of the international community, now more than ever before. There is no doubt that Iran conducted a military nuclear program aimed to produce several nuclear weapon devices,” said Edri.

An IAEA report in May concluded that Iran possesses a significant stockpile of uranium enriched to more than 60% purity, far higher than the 3.67% necessary for a civilian nuclear program.

Nuclear weapons require uranium enriched to 90% purity. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in July that Iran’s breakout time to produce enough weapons-grade material for a nuclear weapon is “probably one or two weeks.”

Said Edri, “Iran continues to advance this program by gaining relevant technology and knowledge, along with fissile material in alarming amounts. Iran has been conducting covert nuclear activities in undeclared sites for many years. The Agency has found concrete evidence of these activities, including the use of undeclared nuclear material and equipment. Despite repeated resolutions by the Board of Governors, Iran has continuously failed to provide technically credible explanations regarding these activities, and continues to deceive the Agency and the international community.”

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He added, “Moreover, Iran continues to develop, test and deploy long-range ballistic missiles, and supports terrorist organizations throughout the Middle East, including the Houthi terrorist group that is a significant security threat to the freedom of navigation, and to the global trade routes. A nuclear-armed Iran, equipped with delivery systems, is not an option that Israel, or the world, can, or should tolerate.”