US welcomes progress in uncovering Syria's undeclared chemical weapons program

The US on Thursday welcomed significant progress in efforts to identify and eliminate the remnants of Syria's chemical weapons program, following recent discoveries by inspectors from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

Addressing a UN Security Council meeting, US deputy representative to the UN Tammy Bruce praised the return of OPCW inspection teams to Syria and their access to high-priority sites in the northern and coastal regions.

"We are encouraged by the meaningful progress made by the Syrian government and the OPCW on the ground since the redeployment, including the significant discovery of undeclared chemical munitions, chemicals and related equipment.

"This is a major milestone for both Syria and the international community," Bruce said.

Bruce noted that the latest findings follow laboratory analyses conducted in August 2025 and January 2026, which identified two chemical warfare agents and a degradation product in buried barrels.

She said the discoveries reinforce longstanding concerns that the former Bashar al-Assad regime "never fully" disclosed the scope of its chemical weapons activities.

"As more sites and materials are discovered and assessed, we call on the OPCW and Syria to set the groundwork to enable expedited on-site destruction where needed in exceptional cases," she said.

The US also urges Syria to update its national declaration in accordance with its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention, she said.

"The United States is eager to see progress on the Syrian chemical weapons file," Bruce said, noting that the Security Council meeting marked approximately 18 months since the OPCW intensified efforts in Syria to "find, secure, declare, and verifiably destroy" any remnants of the Assad regime's chemical weapons program.

"While the mission faces myriad challenges, the OPCW and Syria have demonstrated adaptability, flexibility, and a shared commitment and determination to uphold the convention and to close this chapter of Syria's history," she said.

Bruce said the US encourages member states to provide voluntary financial contributions to the OPCW's Syria mission and to consider direct support for Syria's efforts to counter and eliminate chemical weapons capabilities.