ALWAGHT- Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran, having suffered the most from chemical weapons in modern history, has consistently championed the cause of a world free from weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).
On the anniversary of the chemical attack on Sardasht, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi commemorated the victims and condemned the Baath regime of Saddam Hussein for launching the first chemical assault on a civilian city in 1987. He highlighted the suffering endured by the people of Sardasht, describing it as a tragic symbol of chemical warfare and a dark chapter in Iran’s history, made worse by the complicity or silence of Western powers that supplied Saddam with chemical weapons.
Araghchi also criticized the recent aggression by the Zionist regime and the United States against Iran, which targeted civilians and critical infrastructure, drawing parallels to past atrocities. He condemned the tacit support or silence of Western countries regarding these attacks and called for an emergency session of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to address the threat posed by strikes on Iran’s industrial chemical facilities, warning of potential humanitarian and environmental disasters.
Emphasizing Iran’s role as the greatest victim of chemical weapons in modern history, Araghchi reaffirmed the country’s commitment to a world free of weapons of mass destruction and its leadership in initiatives for a nuclear-free Middle East. He paid tribute to the resilience of the Iranian people and armed forces in responding to recent aggressions and expressed hope for a future where peace replaces violence and no one suffers from such devastating weapons again.
