A Syrian facility that was bombed by Israel in 2007 was suspected to be a nearly finished nuclear reactor, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Tuesday.

A diplomat here told Xinhua reporters that, in a report distributed to its member states, the UN nuclear watchdog came to the conclusion that a facility in Deir ez-Zor in northeastern Syria, which was bombed by Israel in 2007, was "very likely" a nearly finished nuclear reactor.

The report also said the destroyed facility had the characteristic of graphite reactors. This is the first time for the IAEA to make such a judgment.

The IAEA also distributed a report on Iran's nuclear issue on the same day, saying that they are investigating unclear areas of the past and present nuclear programs of Iran.