Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague, Alireza Jahangiri, made the remark in the 21st session of the Conference of the State Parties to the OPCW that kicked off on 28 November to last until 2 December, 2016.
While addressing the conference, Jahangiri expressed his deep concern over the reports on the use of chemical weapons by terrorist groups such as ISIL and Al Nusra in Iraq and Syria, saying “the countries sponsoring these groups which allow them access to the use of chemical weapons against innocent people must be held accountable for their acts.”
Jahangiri then noted the presence of 100,000 victims of chemical weapons in Iran, saying “our country’s commitment to the Convention and its cooperation with the OPCW goes beyond a legal biding and stems from our religious beliefs as epitomized in Ayat. Khamenei’s Fatwa in opposition to the use of any weapons of mass destruction.”
The Iranian ambassador referred to the various measures taken by the Syrian government in line with its commitment to the Convention on the prohibition of chemical weapons, and called on the international community to cooperate rather than exert political pressure or make disparate treatment toward the Syrian case in the OPCW.
“The reports of the OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism have been compiled partially and without consideration to the information provided by the Syrian government,” he added.
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