Sardasht: A Wound That Never Heals

According to a report by IRNA on Sunday, the associations issued a statement on the occasion of the National Day against Chemical and Biological Weapons in Sardasht. In this statement, they condemned the “crimes against humanity” committed by the former Iraqi Ba’ath regime during the chemical attacks on the defenseless people of Sardasht, while demanding the trial and punishment of the global hegemonic powers that provided the military machinery to the defunct Saddam regime.

The full text of the statement reads: “On June 28 and 29, 1987, bomber aircraft of the Iraqi Ba’ath regime targeted four densely populated areas of Sardasht with chemical bombs, subjecting defenseless women, children, and residents of the city and its surrounding areas to lethal and horrific chemical gases.”

The statement further asserts that chemical attacks by the “ill-fated” regime against Iranian troops continued throughout the eight-year imposed war—attacks that were made possible because the Iraqi government lacked the capacity to independently produce biological and chemical weapons. “The criminal US administration, by giving the green light to European countries and facilitating the transfer of such weapons technology, repeatedly violated international law regarding the prohibition of the production, proliferation, and use of chemical and biological weapons,” the text adds.

The statement notes that Western media outlets have, on numerous occasions, admitted to their involvement in equipping the Iraqi state with chemical and biological arsenals.

“The anniversary of this horrific incident on June 28, designated as the National Day against Chemical and Biological Weapons, underscores the duty of all civil society institutions to strive to alleviate the countless physical and psychological suffering of the beloved chemical victims, their families, and survivors,” the statement highlights.

“Thirty-nine years have passed since this bitter and painful tragedy, yet its consequences remain unhealed, and its catastrophic impacts will never be forgotten in history.”

The statement emphasizes that the survivors of this major incident, as victims of contemporary chemical warfare, have a significant claim upon the international community, and “it is imperative that no effort be spared to secure their rights.”

The associations of martyrs’ families and war veterans, while reiterating their condemnation of this crime against humanity, called for the prosecution and punishment of the agents of global arrogance who played a pivotal role in equipping Saddam’s war machine. They further urged all relevant domestic institutions to pursue the necessary legal actions to ensure that other perpetrators are brought to justice, thereby upholding the rights of the chemical victims.

The statement concludes with the hope that “effective international measures can be taken to counter the development, production, and use of chemical and biological weapons, ensuring the safety of people worldwide against such weapons of mass destruction, and paving the way for the peaceful use of biological agents and related technical knowledge for humanitarian purposes.”