Security Council LIVE: Addressing the legacy of Syria’s chemical weapons
3 September 2026
Peace and Security
Following revelations from the UN nuclear watchdog that the former Syrian regime failed to report holding nuclear material and the discovery in May of an undeclared chemical weapons cache, the Security Council met Thursday to be briefed on the latest developments and discuss the way ahead.
What you need to know
- Syria’s new Government is pledging to work with the UN and partners to address Assad-era chemical weapon and nuclear threats
- Previous investigations revealed the old regime had deployed Sarin gas in Ghouta in 2013, according to the UN-backed Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
- Syria joined the Chemical Weapons Convention in 2013 and the following year, a joint OPCW-UN inspection team confirmed the removal and destruction of declared chemical weapons – however doubts remained over that declaration by the Assad regime