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Akbar Novruz

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Syria has reportedly agreed to allow the removal of nuclear material left over from the rule of Bashar al-Assad, following secret diplomacy involving the United States, Israel and the new authorities in Damascus, Axios reported.

According to US and Israeli officials cited by the publication, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is preparing to remove the material from a clandestine Syrian facility known as “Site 99.” The material reportedly includes yellowcake uranium associated with Syria’s former nuclear programme.

The agreement was reportedly reached several weeks ago after months of behind-the-scenes negotiations and Israeli warnings that it could take military action if the material was not secured. Washington is now seeking to complete the removal process before the end of 2026.

The issue dates back to Syria’s secret nuclear programme under Assad. In 2007, Israel destroyed the al-Kibar facility in Deir Ezzor in an airstrike after Israeli and US intelligence concluded that Syria was secretly constructing a nuclear reactor there.

The IAEA subsequently determined that the destroyed facility was “very likely” a nuclear reactor that Syria should have declared to the agency.

Although the al-Kibar reactor was destroyed, other facilities connected to Syria’s former nuclear activities reportedly remained intact, including Site 99.

Following the fall of Assad’s government and the rise of Ahmed al-Sharaa in late 2024, Israel reportedly carried out further strikes near al-Kibar and warned that Site 99 could also become a target if the remaining nuclear material was not secured.

According to Axios, tensions escalated several weeks ago after Israel detected activity around Site 99 and suspected that Syria's new authorities were attempting to gain access to the material, potentially with assistance from Turkey, a close ally of Damascus.

The Trump administration subsequently involved the IAEA in efforts to secure and remove the material. The agency reportedly reached an agreement with the Syrian authorities approximately three weeks ago.

“We hope to kick off the removal process soon and end it before the end of the year,” a US official told Axios.

The White House, the IAEA and the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined to publicly comment on the reported agreement.