Araghchi made the comments as Iran commemorates the 39th anniversary of the chemical bombing of the northwestern city of Sardasht vy the former Baathist regime of Iraq.

“Iran remains the standard-bearer in the fight against weapons of mass destruction,” Araghchi said in a message read at a commemorative ceremony, vowing to pursue justice for survivors of chemical attacks.

The foreign minister used the Sardasht anniversary – observed as Iran’s National Day of Combat against Chemical and Biological Weapons – to contrast Tehran’s position with the continued support of certain Western governments for aggressive powers. He drew a direct line between the 1987 attack and the recent “sinister aggression” of the United States and Israel against Iran.

Araghchi said legal and procedural obstacles would not diminish Tehran’s determination to seek accountability.

He also said the chemical attacks carried out during the Iran-Iraq War were enabled by the support and silence of some Western governments, which he said had helped arm the government of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction.

MNA