Turning a Page on Syria’s Proliferation Past

Assessment

Rafael Grossi's visit to former Syrian nuclear sites marks a tangible shift in international access to a country long suspected of undeclared weapons activity. The IAEA director general framed the inspection not as erasing history but as confronting it directly. What matters now is whether this access translates into verified dismantlement and whether the new Syrian leadership sustains cooperation beyond this single visit. The real test will come when inspectors request follow up access to additional sites or documentation.