Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani held a joint press conference with International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi and said that "the nuclear material will remain in Syrian custody, subject to IAEA guarantees. Syria has the right to use nuclear energy for civilian and peaceful purposes." Against the backdrop of a report last week that the IAEA is planning to remove nuclear material stored at a secret site in Syria, the minister added: "We will work to create the necessary conditions for processing and safely storing these materials." He also condemned the "Israeli attack" in the country: "An unjustified provocation, a violation of sovereignty and a direct threat to stability."