Iran condemns using chemical weapons by terrorists in Syria, Iraq

EghtesadOnline: Iranian Ambassador to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Alireza Jahangiri called on the organization to avoid politicizing the case of Syria.

News ID: ۷۷۴۴۸۴

09 March 2017

During the 84th session of the executive council of the organization on Wednesday, he cherished memory of the Iranian victims of chemical weapons, underlining the need for beefing up efforts by OPCW members to reach a world free of chemical weapons.

According to IRNA, he recalled coincidence of the 30th anniversary of Iraq's chemical attack to the Iranian western city of Sardasht, in West Azarbaijan province during the Saddam Hussein's imposed war against Iran, with the 20th anniversary of the OPCW establishment.

The city of Sardasht is the third city in the world after Japan’s Hiroshima and Nagasaki which became the target of Weapons of Mass Destruction. In June 28 and 29, 1987, Iraqi bombers attacked 4 crowded parts of Sardasht with chemical bombs and engulfed its residents, women and children, young and old, with fatal chemical gases.

attack left 110 martyrs and 5,000 injured. Unfortunately, many citizens of Sardasht are still suffering from negative effects and consequences of this attack.

Referring to the Syrian developments, Jahangiri appreciated Damascus for its cooperation with OPCW to address a number of outstanding problems and called for the helping improve the situation in the war-stricken state.

Jahangiri also voiced deep concern over using chemical weapons by terrorist and extremist groups in Syria and Iraq, and urged the international community to condemn those acts and make due arrangements to prevent recurrence of such cases.

The Iranian envoy also urged all the countries including OPCW member states to shun providing financial and military aid to terrorist groups.