Syria Nuclear Material: IAEA Finds Tons Under Al-Jolani

The international community faces a complex security challenge following revelations that Syria, now led by Abu Mohammad al-Jolani (also known as Ahmad al-Sharaa), possesses "several tons" of nuclear material. Al-Jolani previously headed Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of the al-Qaeda terror organization.

Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), confirmed in recent days that inspectors discovered the nuclear material at a site that had not been previously disclosed to the agency. Syrian authorities only reported the location within the past month. Grossi issued a stark warning about the find: "We are talking about material that could be used for malicious purposes."

Syrian nuclear site destroyed by IDF in 2007 (Photo: Google)

International officials have expressed deep unease about the speed with which Syria's new government is seeking nuclear legitimacy. "Only 18 months have passed since Jolani seized power. Before that, he was a jihadist and an al-Qaeda leader," sources familiar with the matter noted. According to these officials, the Syrian regime is "behaving too comfortably, too quickly" regarding its nuclear program.

The primary concern extends beyond whether Syria currently possesses operational nuclear weapons to what might happen to the material in an unstable state. Non-proliferation experts warn of genuine risks that terrorist elements could seize control of the sites or that the material could be misused in the event of further governmental collapse.

Despite heavy international pressure and reports of understandings between the United States, Israel, and the IAEA to remove the material from Syria, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani made clear at a press conference that the material will remain in the country. Shaibani argued that Syria has a "sovereign and legal right" to advance a nuclear program for civilian purposes and that the materials pose no risk.