Syria Confirms Possession of Nuclear Material, Vows Not to Dismantle Facility

Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal al-Miqdad confirmed on Tuesday that Syria possesses nuclear material during a joint press conference with Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Al-Miqdad stated that IAEA representatives will be allowed access to the nuclear facility located in Deir ez-Zor and emphasized Syria's commitment to transparency on the matter. He explained that Syria informed the IAEA last year about the discovery of nuclear materials, which after necessary technical inspections, will remain under Syrian control but with IAEA guarantees. Al-Miqdad asserted Syria's right to hold and use nuclear energy for peaceful civilian purposes.

In the same briefing, al-Miqdad condemned an Israeli airstrike earlier that day on the Abu al-Zuhur airbase in northwestern Syria, calling it a violation of Syrian sovereignty and a threat to regional stability and security. He described the attack as a deliberate obstacle to efforts aimed at regional understanding and security and demanded Israel withdraw from territories it occupied in 2024.

Separately, the article references the discovery of personal effects belonging to Yehuda Katz, who fell in battle at Sultan Yaqub, and mentions a death sentence issued against the former Syrian president, though these details were not elaborated upon in the press conference context.