Chemical Warfare in the Iran-Iraq War
Starting in 1983, Iraq dropped countless chemical bombs in Iran and in Iraqi Kurdish towns, during the eight-year Iran-Iraq War. Today, 22 years since the end of this war, Iran is home to the world's largest population of chemical attack survivors, a significant proportion of who are chronically ill (Khateri 2004). Besides the initial burning of the skin and extreme swelling of the eyes, little visible traces of the chemicals remain on the victims' bodies. The chemicals used during the war mostly burned the victims' lungs and eyes, rendering the effects internal and therefore “invisible.”
Iraqi troops carried out the first extensive chemical attack in March 1981 against troops on the Majnoon Island battlefields (tons of sulfur mustard and nerve agents were used). Later, with the help of West Germany, Iraq started making mustard gas and deadly nerve agents at industrial levels. Following many requests by the Iranian government, the international community finally sent 3 official investigation teams to Iran starting in March 1984 (three years after the first attack), after helicopters built by the Germans, Soviets, and French dumped poison gas on the Iranians during Operation Kheibar. In March 1984 the UN Security General, Perez de Cuellar, ordered an investigation that exposed Iraq as a violator of the 1925 Geneva Protocol outlawing the use of poisonous gas in wars. Member states ignored the investigation. Two more official investigations took place: one in Feb/March 1986, and another in April 1987. Again, the international community ignored these investigations.
Chemical attacks on residential zones occurred more than 30 times during the Iran-Iraq War, the main ones being in Sardasht (with mustard gas) on June 28, 1987; followed by the bombing of the villages surrounding Marivan in March 1988; and, the bombing of the villages around Sarpol-e Zahab, Gilan-e gharb, and Oshnavieh in May and June 1988. The bombing of Sardasht was a prelude to the infamous attack on Halabja, in Iraq, which killed more than 5000 civilians.
Iraqi troops carried out the first extensive chemical attack in March 1981 against troops on the Majnoon Island battlefields (tons of sulfur mustard and nerve agents were used). Later, with the help of West Germany, Iraq started making mustard gas and deadly nerve agents at industrial levels. Following many requests by the Iranian government, the international community finally sent 3 official investigation teams to Iran starting in March 1984 (three years after the first attack), after helicopters built by the Germans, Soviets, and French dumped poison gas on the Iranians during Operation Kheibar. In March 1984 the UN Security General, Perez de Cuellar, ordered an investigation that exposed Iraq as a violator of the 1925 Geneva Protocol outlawing the use of poisonous gas in wars. Member states ignored the investigation. Two more official investigations took place: one in Feb/March 1986, and another in April 1987. Again, the international community ignored these investigations.
Chemical attacks on residential zones occurred more than 30 times during the Iran-Iraq War, the main ones being in Sardasht (with mustard gas) on June 28, 1987; followed by the bombing of the villages surrounding Marivan in March 1988; and, the bombing of the villages around Sarpol-e Zahab, Gilan-e gharb, and Oshnavieh in May and June 1988. The bombing of Sardasht was a prelude to the infamous attack on Halabja, in Iraq, which killed more than 5000 civilians.
