Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has made a secret visit to a research center run by Tehran for developing long-range missiles and chemical weapons in the coastal Tartous province during the Eid al-Fitr holiday, well-informed sources said.
The move comes as the White House accused the Assad regime on Tuesday of preparing a new chemical attack on eastern and southern Syria
The yearold center was built under Iranian supervision in Wadi Jehanam, also known as Hell Valley, which separates Hama and Tartous provinces.
The center is working on developing long-range missiles that will be up and running by the end of the year, according to sources.
On Tuesday, Reconciliation Minister Ali Haidar denied Washington’s allegations that it may be preparing a new chemical attack, reaffirming that it has never used such arms.
Haidar told the Associated Press that the White House statement foreshadowed a "diplomatic battle" that would be waged against Syria in the halls of the United Nations.
The U.S. issued a stern warning to the Syrian president on Monday night, saying it had "potential" evidence that Syria was preparing for another chemical weapons attack.
A non-governmental source with close ties to the White House said the administration had received intelligence that the Syrians were mixing precursor chemicals for a possible sarin gas attack in either the east or south of the country, where government troops and their proxies have faced recent setbacks.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
