Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Mottaki: Chemically disabled, proof of Iranians' innocence

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Dec 21, IRNA
Iran-FM-Press Conference
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said here Wednesday that the chemical disabled are proof of the innocence of Iranian people during the Sacred Defense era (1980-88).

Calling Iran a 'the major victim of chemical weapons worldwide', Mottaki told reporters that the chemically disabled bear testimonies of the inhumane crimes of the regime of former Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein.

Mottaki said that Saddam's regime had defied all international rules and regulations and used banned chemical weapons against Iran, particularly the civilians, with the complicity of certain western states and foreign companies.

The criminal regime of Saddam benefited from assistance of the western colonialist states, using chemical weapons against Iran for more than 200 times during the war, martyring many people and making more than 100,000 others chemically disabled, said Mottaki, adding, "Such a crime has been unprecedented in history."
Mottaki stressed that Saddam's regime would have never been able to commit such a crime alone. "Today, it has become evident to all that former Iraqi regime gained such a destructive and criminal capability through partnership, assistance and support of western states and companies," he said.

He added that certain western states, companies, institutions and their affiliates illegally equipped Iraq with banned chemical weapons in violation of international laws and regulations and related conventions, thus becoming an accomplice in the inhumane crimes of Saddam's regime.

Based on documents available at communities, associations, media and press, more than 400 companies, mostly western -- one third of them being Germans -- had supplied Iraq with different chemical agents for warfare, he noted.

Mottaki said 25 American, 15 German, 10 British, three Dutch, three Swiss and two French companies helped Saddam's regime provide the equipment and basic materials for production of the sarin and nerve gases.

The Islamic Republic of Iran expects that the use of chemical weapons in the Iraqi-imposed war against Iranian people by the said criminal will be taken into consideration and investigated, he added.

Mottaki noted that punishment of Saddam and other agents having a role in equipping his army with chemical weapons will prevent repetition of such inhuman catastrophes.

Iran's Foreign Ministry is serious and determined to defend and restore the inalienable rights of chemical victims within the scope of its authorities, said Mottaki, adding that Iran will follow up the case at international fora and organizations.

Asked whether Foreign Ministry addresses complaints of the chemically disabled, Mottaki said the ministry considers itself duty-bound to take necessary actions in that connection and prove West's inattention to the use of chemical weapons.

Chemically disabled can lodge complaints at international and domestic courts and 'we will spare no efforts to address the inalienable rights of the dear ones'.

Asked on EU's statement on human rights conditions in Iran, Mottaki said Europeans are trying to insinuate that they are the standard bearer of human rights in the world.

"The repeated resolutions and declarations of westerners, who are themselves human rights violators, have the least effect on us and the Islamic Republic of Iran is today supervising human rights conditions in western states and filing a case for each of the countries, informing the world people in its annual reports on non-observation of human rights in those countries," he said.

Americans are used to making the world believe that what they say are correct and unfortunately they have tried to impose this practice on their 'colonies', he added.

"We have certain duties in human rights and many domestic issues and the liars in the West cannot, through its contradictory function, claim that in such a democratic state as Iran human rights are violated," he said.

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