Iran leads global fight against WMDs, says FM Araghchi

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has declared that Iran remains the standard-bearer in the global fight against weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). He made the remarks during a ceremony commemorating the 39th anniversary of the chemical bombing of the northwestern city of Sardasht by the former Baathist regime of Iraq.

In a message read at the event, Araghchi vowed to pursue justice for survivors of chemical attacks, emphasizing that legal and procedural obstacles would not diminish Tehran's determination to seek accountability. He used the occasion, observed as Iran's National Day of Combat against Chemical and Biological Weapons, to contrast Tehran's position with the continued support of certain Western governments for aggressive powers.

Araghchi drew a direct line between the 1987 attack on Sardasht and what he called the recent "sinister aggression" of the United States and Israel against Iran. He stated that the chemical attacks during the Iran-Iraq War were enabled by the support and silence of some Western governments, which he said helped arm the government of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction.

According to Mehr News, Araghchi's comments underscore Iran's longstanding stance against WMDs and its commitment to holding perpetrators accountable, while criticizing Western complicity in past and present conflicts.