TEHRAN- Concurrent with the 39th anniversary of the chemical bombardment of Sardasht and the National Day of Fight against Chemical and Biological Weapons, the "Burnt Breaths" conference and photo exhibition officially opened at the Melal Cultural Center in Tehran on Sunday.

The event aims to elucidate the humanitarian, legal, and international dimensions of the war crimes resulting from the use of chemical weapons and serves to honor the martyrs of Sardasht, Mehr reported. 

The opening ceremony of the exhibition was attended by high-ranking civil and military officials, chemical weapons survivors, medical professionals, and the families of the martyrs, the report added.  

Addressing the audience, Abbas-Ali Rezai, the director of Iran's Martyrs and Veterans Affairs Foundation emphasized that the nation’s current security and authority are rooted in the sacrifices of the martyrs and veterans. 

"Today, approximately 67,000 chemical weapons survivors live in our country, grappling with complex physical and respiratory complications for decades. Yet, they remain steadfast in their commitment to the ideals of the Islamic Revolution with exemplary spirit," he stated.

Rezai further highlighted that the Islamic Republic of Iran is among the world's primary victims of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). He underscored that the Iranian nation has never sought to produce or use such weapons, having always been the victim of such heinous crimes. He also stressed the importance of transmitting the culture of sacrifice and narrating the grievances of chemical victims to future generations.

Hojjatoleslam Mousavi-Moghaddam, the Representative of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution at the Martyrs and Veterans Affairs Foundation, also delivered a speech, calling for the legal and international pursuit of the victims' demands. 

Critiquing the performance of international organizations, he noted: "Despite numerous treaties banning chemical weapons, many perpetrators and supporters of these crimes have yet to be held accountable." He added that the suffering caused by these weapons persists for generations, far beyond the initial moment of impact.

He described chemical survivors as symbols of the Iranian nation’s patience and resilience. He asserted that documenting and legally pursuing these crimes must be taken seriously to ensure the voices of the victims reach global public opinion and to prevent the recurrence of such tragedies.

Seyyed Kamal Louh-Mousavi, Secretary-General of the Association for Defending Victims of Chemical Weapons, remarked that the "Burnt Breaths" exhibition seeks to narrate the historical suffering of the victims through the lens of photography. 

"Sometimes, a single photograph can convey the depth of a human catastrophe more effectively than hundreds of pages of reports or speeches," he noted.

He stated that during the Sacred Defense (Iraq's imposed war on Iran), the country was targeted by chemical attacks 572 times. Over 100,000 people were exposed to chemical agents, with 67,000 officially registered as survivors suffering from long-term pulmonary, skin, ocular, and neurological damage.

The ceremony also featured a message from Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, in which the Sardasht bombardment was described as a symbol of the Iranian nation’s innocence and resistance. The message reiterated Iran's commitment to pursuing the legal rights of the victims on the international stage.

The "Burnt Breaths" photo exhibition, showcasing the humanitarian consequences of chemical warfare, will remain open to the public at the Melal Cultural Center for ten days.

The chemical bombardment of Sardasht on June 28, 1987, remains one of the most harrowing chapters of the Iraq-Iran war and a dark stain on the history of the 20th century. The Iraqi warplanes dropped chemical weapons on the Iranian town and the surrounding regions, killing over 1000 and injuring over 8000 civilians, many of whom were permanently disabled.

On that fateful afternoon, the Iraqi regime under Saddam Hussein deployed mustard gas against the defenseless civilian population of this Kurdish city, marking the first time a populated urban center was targeted with such lethal chemical agents. 

The immediate impact was devastating, turning a peaceful afternoon into a landscape of horror where thousands struggled for their next breath. Because the attack targeted civilians in their homes and markets, the casualties were predominantly women, children, and the elderly, whose innocence stood in stark contrast to the calculated brutality of the international community's silence at the time.

Iran was subjected to several violent attacks with chemical weapons by Iraq during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. According to a study, about 6,000 Iranians were killed during the attacks, and today, about 55,000 survivors of these attacks are still suffering from the aftereffects.

Today, Sardasht is not just a city of grief, but a global symbol of resistance and a moral reminder of the urgent need for a world free of weapons of mass destruction. The annual commemorations serve to ensure that its people are never forgotten and that the quest for international legal justice remains a priority for the Iranian nation.

SAB/