'West chooses interests over humanity'
Victims of Saddam's chemical attack on Halabcha
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces says Western powers violate international law and show disregard for humanity when their interests are at risk.
"It is an undeniable fact that anywhere in the world where the political and economic interests of the West are threatened or challenged humanity is forced to pay the price for the failure of the Americans and the European allies of the White House," Mehr News Agency quoted Hassan Firouzabadi as saying on Sunday.
“They (the US and allies) with no consideration for international treaties commit crimes and oppress the people of other countries,” he added.
The top Iranian commander made the remarks on the 23rd anniversary of Saddam Hussein's chemical strike on the northern Iraqi city of Halabcha in 1988 during the eight-year Iraqi-imposed war on Iran.
"In terms of the scope and volume of chemical weapons used in this massacre it is considered to be the largest since World War I. Over 5,000 civilians were massacred… while thousands of survivors were left permanently disabled," he said.
The major general said the silence of Western powers over Saddam's massacre was a “green light” to the Iraqi dictator to carry out his crimes against humanity, adding that the same crimes were repeated by the West in Bosnia and Herzegovina a few years later.
On March 16, 1988, during the closing days of the eight-year Iraqi imposed-war on Iran, Iraqi security forces launched a chemical attack on Halabcha in Iraqi Kurdistan.
The attack is considered to be the largest direct chemical attack against a civilian-populated target in history. It is believed that Saddam's forces used a variety of chemical agents including mustard gas and nerve agents Sarin and Tabun.
Images and videos of the massacre were first taken by Iranian journalists who passed on the footage to other media outlets. The international response at the time remained muted however.
MSD/NN/HGH/MMN
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