The United States has reiterated its call for Syria to address longstanding noncompliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) safeguards agreement. This statement was delivered by Howard Solomon, Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim, during the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors meeting in Vienna on March 5, 2025.
The U.S. emphasized that nearly 14 years have passed since the IAEA Board of Governors found Syria in violation of its obligations and urged it to resolve these issues urgently. "Bashar al-Assad did everything he could to obfuscate and obstruct," Solomon stated, noting the opportunity for change following Assad's departure from Syria.
Solomon expressed hope that Syria would cooperate with the IAEA to address outstanding issues related to an undeclared nuclear reactor at Dair Alzour, allegedly constructed with assistance from North Korea. He stressed that maintaining this issue on the Board’s agenda is essential for upholding the credibility of both the IAEA safeguards system and the NPT.
The U.S. called on Syria to fully cooperate with the IAEA in answering critical questions about nuclear material particles detected at Dair Alzour and potential undeclared nuclear activities elsewhere. The U.S. anticipates a report from the Agency detailing findings from visits to sites reportedly linked to the Dair Alzour reactor.
"We firmly hope that in due course, the IAEA will be in a position to provide necessary assurances to the international community that the Syrian nuclear program is indeed exclusively peaceful," Solomon said, emphasizing that only full cooperation would suffice.
The United States pledged continued support for the IAEA's engagement with Damascus and expressed optimism for achieving tangible results. "Finally resolving Syria’s noncompliance would be an enormous achievement for all who care about the IAEA’s mission," Solomon concluded.