Iran slams Israel's attacks on public health facilities

Heidar Ali Balouji, director of the disarmament and arms control department at the Iranian Foreign Ministry, made the remarks at a meeting of the Working Group on Strengthening of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Biological Weapons (BWC) in Geneva on Monday.

Referring to Israel’s aggressive, direct, and deliberate attacks on vaccine, medicine, and health production facilities and other similar centers in Iran, Balouji condemned the actions as a clear violation of international law and the basic principles of the Convention.

On June 13, Israel launched an unprovoked war against Iran, assassinating many high-ranking military commanders, nuclear scientists, and ordinary civilians.

On June 24, Iran ultimately succeeded in halting the war through its retaliatory operations against the Israeli regime.

Balouji also warned that these attacks, in addition to harming national capacities in the field of public health, endanger regional and global biosecurity.

He underscored that attacks on peaceful biological facilities violate the fundamental rights of member states to the peaceful use of biological sciences and constitute an attack on the entire global disarmament regime.

The Iranian diplomat also called on the international community to firmly condemn these actions and hold the perpetrators accountable.

The Working Group on Strengthening of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Biological Weapons was established by the decision of the Ninth Review Conference of the Convention in 2022. Its key focus areas include fostering international cooperation and assistance, assessing relevant scientific and technological advancements, and examining verification mechanisms. It will continue its activities at least until the end of 2026

Elsewhere in his remarks, Balouji underscored the importance of support for BWC’s global partnership, especially in West Asia./mehr