The collapse of the Assad regime has brought renewed focus on Syria’s chemical and biological weapons (CBW) program, creating an opportunity for the international community to dismantle it. Syria’s CBW program, initiated in the 1970s, has long been a source of global concern due to its use during the civil war and unresolved questions about stockpiles. With roughly 35 facilities initially involved, the program includes materials like sarin, VX, and sulfur mustard, alongside development and storage sites, some of which were destroyed to prevent extremist groups from seizing them.

Key actors, including NATO, Russia, Israel, and the new Syrian regime, appear willing to eliminate the remaining CBW arsenal, but challenges persist. These include the risk of extremist groups capturing residual stockpiles, Iran and Russia erasing their involvement, and questions about past ties to North Korea and Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has pressed for answers on unresolved stockpiles, and international figures, including OPCW Director General Fernando Arias, have called for a comprehensive disarmament effort.

The new Syrian regime has pledged cooperation, but the Biden administration has ruled out deploying U.S. troops for CW removal, instead focusing on broader non-proliferation efforts, including preventing Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Iran’s advancing nuclear and pharmacological weapons capabilities remain a parallel concern, highlighted by warnings from the IAEA and Mossad leadership.

Additionally, Syria’s biological weapons program, involving toxins and pathogens developed outside international conventions, poses a significant threat. U.S. officials emphasize the need for Syria’s new government to secure and dismantle both chemical and biological arsenals as part of a broader political transition. Effective international collaboration with the new Syrian leadership is crucial for addressing these challenges.

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