TEHRAN – Iran's Foreign Ministry is using the 37th anniversary of the Halabja chemical attack to remind the world of the atrocity and its lasting impact. 

In a statement, Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei emphasized that the passage of time doesn't lessen the severity of the chemical bombing, carried out by Saddam Hussein's regime against the Kurdish town of Halabja in Iraq. 

Baqaei also highlighted that the U.S. and certain European nations aided the attack through technical and technological support. 

Elsewhere in his remarks, the diplomat also highlighted the shared suffering of Iranians, particularly those in Sardasht, as well as many Iranian military and civilian victims of Saddam Hussein’s chemical weapons attacks during the eight-year imposed war on Iran.

Additionally, Baqaei criticized European countries for their role in those attacks by supplying Iraq’s chemical weapons program. “Europe’s unwillingness to acknowledge the truth and take responsibility undermines their credibility in matters of human rights and the rule of law,” he added. 

The Halabja chemical attack took place on March 16, 1988, during the final stages of the Iran-Iraq War. The Iraqi air force, under the command of Saddam Hussein, bombarded the city of Halabja with a mixture of deadly chemical agents, including mustard gas, sarin, tabun, and VX.

The population of Halabja, located near the Iranian border, had sided with Iran against Saddam Hussein's regime. Saddam viewed the city as a threat to his power and sought to punish them for their perceived disloyalty. Ali Hassan al-Majid, Saddam's cousin, also known as "Chemical Ali," played a key role in planning and executing the brutal assault. 

The Halabja attack resulted in the immediate deaths of an estimated 5,000 people, mostly civilians, including women and children. Thousands more were injured and continue to suffer from long-term health problems related to chemical exposure.