Today, 28 June 2014, is a solemn day of remembrance for the people of Sardasht. On this day, 27 years ago, the peaceful residents of this town in Iran were subjected to an atrocity involving the use of chemical weapons.
On behalf of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), I wish to convey my deepest sympathies to the authorities and people of Sardasht for those who suffered and perished as a result of this horrendous attack. Many of the victims continue to bear the painful consequences of exposure to chemical weapons.
The memory of this atrocity further unites us in our condemnation of chemical weapons and in our mission to ban them forever. We are close to achieving a world free of chemical weapons. It is our shared responsibility to ensure the success of the Chemical Weapons Convention in the years ahead, including achieving universal adherence.
This is the best way for the international community to prevent such tragedies from ever happening again, and to honour the memory of the victims of Sardasht and other attacks in which these barbarous weapons were used.
For more information on the Sardasht attack visit our Victims Support Network.