IAEA Plans Return to Syria to Inspect Damaged Nuclear Site

The International Atomic Energy Agency is planning to return to Syria to inspect a damaged facility, although ongoing instability in the country’s northeast is delaying the mission, the agency’s director general said on Friday.

Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said the agency aims to resume inspections in Syria as soon as conditions allow, with a particular focus on the Deir ez-Zor area.

Grossi said clarifying the status of nuclear-related materials would be a key step toward removing Syria from the list of countries requiring special monitoring. He added that the agency currently sees no evidence of any Middle Eastern state developing nuclear weapons, but confirmed that the IAEA continues to monitor both Iran and Syria closely.

According to Grossi, cooperation with Syrian authorities could help resolve concerns related to past nuclear activities within a matter of months, provided inspectors are granted timely access to relevant sites.

The planned inspection comes amid renewed technical engagement between Syria and the IAEA. In June last year, Damascus signed a memorandum of understanding with the agency to cooperate on food security and cancer treatment initiatives under the IAEA’s “Atoms for Food” and “Rays of Hope” programs.

Syria’s Foreign Ministry said the agreement was signed by Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani and Grossi, and aims to expand the peaceful use of nuclear technology in agriculture, medicine and public health. The ministry also confirmed that Grossi held talks in Damascus with transitional Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Earlier this year, Grossi reiterated the IAEA’s commitment to supporting Syria in critical sectors such as healthcare and agriculture, alongside other peaceful nuclear applications aligned with modern technological standards.

The agency’s return to Deir ez-Zor would mark a significant step in addressing long-standing international concerns over Syria’s nuclear file, while signaling a cautious move toward renewed technical cooperation despite ongoing security challenges.