The Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, or OPCW, adopted a decision during its 112th session to restore Syria’s rights and privileges within the organization after they had been suspended in 2021.
The decision was co-sponsored by 67 States Parties from different regional groups and adopted by consensus, according to a statement issued by the organization on July 9.
The OPCW said the decision followed a fundamental change in circumstances since the organization suspended some of the Syrian Arab Republic’s rights and privileges in 2021.
The suspension resulted from the former Syrian government’s failure to disclose the full extent of its chemical weapons program and its confirmed use of chemical weapons on Syrian territory.
Both constituted serious violations of Syria’s obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention.
The statement explained that following the fall of the Assad regime, Syria’s new authorities committed to fulfilling the country’s obligations under the convention and subsequently took concrete steps to cooperate with the Technical Secretariat toward that goal.
In recognition of these developments, the Conference of the States Parties, at its 30th session, authorized the Executive Council to review Syria’s progress based on reports by the OPCW Director-General and to lift the measures once sufficient progress had been demonstrated.
The Executive Council also welcomed Syria’s progress in addressing outstanding issues related to its chemical weapons program. These included amending its initial declaration, preparing facility agreements, facilitating verification activities by the Technical Secretariat, and taking preliminary steps toward destroying identified remnants, including the preparation of an agreed detailed verification plan and arrangements for destruction activities.
The Executive Council also approved a detailed plan to verify the destruction of Category 3 chemical weapons in al-Qutayfah (Damascus countryside, northeastern Damascus), as well as two separate facility agreements for the systematic verification of chemical weapons storage facilities in al-Qutayfah and Homs (central Syria).
The council urged Syria to continue its positive cooperation with the Technical Secretariat toward closing the chemical weapons dossier inherited from the former regime.
Syria will remain obligated to meet its commitments under the convention, while the Executive Council will continue reviewing its progress and taking the necessary decisions to advance the complete elimination of what remains of the chemical weapons program inherited from the former regime.
OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias said the decisions reflected the tangible progress achieved through continued cooperation and constructive engagement between the Technical Secretariat and the Syrian Arab Republic, with the support of the wider community of States Parties.
According to Arias, the decisions also provide a strong framework for advancing the next phase of verification and destruction activities under the authority of the Executive Council. He said they represent another milestone in the OPCW’s efforts to achieve the complete and verified elimination of all remaining chemical weapons associated with the former Syrian government.
He stressed that the Technical Secretariat would continue assisting the Syrian authorities in fulfilling all of Syria’s obligations under the convention.
The Conference of the States Parties had previously tasked the OPCW Executive Council with assessing the conditions for restoring Syria’s full rights within the organization.
Syria’s rights and privileges had been suspended under the 2021 decision CSP-25/DEC.9 because of its possession and use of chemical weapons and delays in completing its required declaration.
The suspension restricted Syria’s participation in OPCW activities until the Director-General reported to the conference that the country had fulfilled its obligations.
Syria Welcomes Decision
Syria welcomed the OPCW Executive Council’s adoption by consensus of the decision to restore its rights and privileges under the Chemical Weapons Convention.
It described the decision as “an important step reflecting the progress achieved in fulfilling obligations and the constructive cooperation with the Technical Secretariat in addressing the legacy of the chemical weapons program dating back to the former regime.”
The decision follows the suspension of those rights in 2021 over violations associated with the use of chemical weapons. It now reflects the international community’s confidence in Syria’s transformation and in the efforts of its institutions to implement their obligations, according to a statement by the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The decision also represents broad support for Syria’s restoration of its full role within the organization.
Syria said the decision was based on progress made in investigations, identifying those involved, and removing remnants of the chemical weapons program, thereby advancing the objectives of the convention and strengthening regional and international security.
At the same time, Syria stressed that this process is also connected to securing justice for victims by uncovering the truth, holding those responsible accountable, and ensuring that the crimes are not repeated, in accordance with the principles of the convention and international law.
The ministry affirmed Syria’s commitment to continuing full and transparent cooperation with the OPCW in a manner that preserves the convention’s objectives and achieves justice for the victims.
Katoub: Chemical Weapons Use Must Be Attributed to Assad Regime
Syria’s Permanent Representative to the OPCW, Mohamad Katoub, said the decision reflected the international community’s welcome for Syria’s return to the international system.
He stressed that the international community was now dealing with a new state that represents the victims of chemical weapons use, rather than the authorities responsible for committing those crimes.
Katoub emphasized the importance of not attributing the legacy of chemical weapons use to Syrians or to Syria. He said the crimes were committed by the former regime, which left behind a legacy that the Syrian state is now addressing with full transparency and responsibility, with the aim of eliminating its effects, delivering justice to victims, and meeting international obligations.
According to Katoub, one of the most significant steps achieved since what he described as the country’s liberation was the official adoption of the term “chemical weapons program of the Assad era” on the OPCW’s agenda. He said this establishes a clear distinction between the current Syrian state and the chemical weapons program created by the former regime, while formally documenting that distinction in the organization’s records.
Katoub made the remarks in an interview with al-Ikhbariya.
Former Government Tried to Mislead International Community
Syria joined the Chemical Weapons Convention in 2013 under a strict verification regime and submitted an initial declaration concerning its chemical weapons program.
However, the former Syrian government did not declare the full extent of its chemical weapons program and unsuccessfully attempted to mislead the international community about its overall scope and scale, according to the OPCW.
The Technical Secretariat also independently documented and confirmed the use of chemical weapons in Syria by forces affiliated with the former Syrian government and by non-state actors, specifically the Islamic State group.
Assad’s Fall Opens Path to Chemical Disarmament
The fall of the Assad government in December 2024 created an opportunity to uncover the full scope of Syria’s chemical weapons program and eliminate it in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention.
In February 2025, the OPCW Director-General visited Syria and held separate meetings with Syria’s president and foreign minister. Syrian officials acknowledged all OPCW mandates, including identifying the perpetrators of chemical weapons use in Syria, and affirmed the country’s full commitment to meeting its obligations under the Convention.
In March 2025, the Syrian foreign minister visited the OPCW and addressed the Executive Council, where he acknowledged Syria’s obligations under the Convention
He also informed the international community that Syria lacked sufficient knowledge and expertise in this area.
Since the Director-General’s visit to Damascus in February 2025, the OPCW Technical Secretariat has deployed teams to Syria several times. Their work included visits to suspected sites, sample collection, interviews, the gathering of documents connected to Syria’s chemical weapons program, and coordination activities.
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