Ankara: The International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors decided Wednesday to end the noncompliance finding on Syria's nuclear obligations after the completion of technical and legal requirements, according to media reports. Syrian state television Alikhbariah reported that the board adopted a resolution ending Syria's noncompliance status under its safeguards agreement associated with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
According to Anadolu Agency, the Syrian Atomic Energy Commission declared this development as a strategic achievement, attributing it to intensive national and diplomatic efforts managed by the Syrian state over a year and a half. The commission reaffirmed its commitment to international standards and full transparency while maintaining Syria's sovereign right to develop nuclear technology for national development.
The commission emphasized that the removal of the noncompliance status is of strategic significance as it formally reaffirms Syria's right to develop and use nuclear science for peaceful purposes within its territory. This includes applications in radiation medicine, agriculture, and scientific research under the comprehensive safeguards agreement. Additionally, it marks the end of a long-standing chapter where the nuclear file was used as a tool for political pressure, preventing any further attempts to impose restrictions or sanctions on Syria based on this issue.
The resolution was described as international recognition of Syria's approach, highlighting the 'unprecedented cooperation' by the Syrian Atomic Energy Commission. This cooperation involved full technical and logistical assistance for international verification and the placement of all discovered materials under safeguards and monitoring. The decision is expected to open doors for research grants, training fellowships, and exchanges of advanced expertise with other countries, thereby supporting domestic technological and health development.
In August, Mudar al-Akaleh, head of the Syrian Atomic Energy Commission, indicated that Syria was moving towards closing the noncompliance file and expanding its peaceful nuclear applications. The commission, in collaboration with the Foreign Ministry, had worked diligently in recent months to meet all technical requirements needed to assess nuclear materials and waste linked to the former regime, in line with international safeguards and the IAEA's legal framework.
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, speaking in Damascus on Aug. 18, acknowledged the presence of 'several tons of nuclear materials' remaining from the era of ousted President Bashar al-Assad in Deir ez-Zor province. He noted that inspectors had been granted access to the site. An IAEA report, circulated to member states and leaked to the media, revealed that agency inspectors conducted verification and investigative work at various sites in Syria during August. The report indicated that the Assad regime had previously failed to declare nuclear materials, facilities, and types of activities that should have been reported under Syria's comprehensive safeguards agreement with the NPT.
On Monday, during the opening of a meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna, Grossi announced that the agency made a 'historic breakthrough' after Syria's new administration provided the required information and allowed access to the Deir ez-Zor facility and other sites. He stated that the agency has been able to clarify and resolve the questions concerning the outstanding safeguards issues related to Syria's past nuclear activities.