Iran Blames Chemical Attacks in Region on Sponsors of Terrorism

TEHRAN – Iran’s representative in an OPCW conference denounced terrorist groups’ access to chemical weapons as a threat to world peace and security, holding the sponsors of Takfiri groups responsible for the use of such lethal weapons in Syria and Iraq.

In an address to the 22nd Conference of the States Parties (CSP-22) to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague on Friday, Director of Political Affairs and International Security at Iran’s Foreign Ministry Qolam Hossein Dehqani highlighted the global threats posed by the stockpiles of chemical weapons at disposal of certain state parties and terrorist groups, according to Tasnim News Agency.

 The use of chemical weapons by terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq is an actual consequence of direct and indirect support for these groups provided by certain countries, the envoy deplored.

Dehqani also stressed the need for the full elimination of chemical weapons stockpiles in the world and called on the member states to honor their commitments under the Chemical Weapons Convention.

The OPCW is the implementing body of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which entered into force in 1997. As of today, the organization has 192 member states, who are working together to achieve a world free of chemical weapons, according to its website.

CWC aims to eliminate an entire category of weapons of mass destruction by prohibiting the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, transfer or use of chemical weapons by states parties.

H.M