According to the ODVV public relations, on the sidelines of the Conference, the participating Iranian NGOs held a sidelines exhibit with the presence of Iranian chemical weapons victims, with the aim of information dissemination the consequences of the use of chemical weapons, and their long term effects on the health of the victims.
In this exhibit which was held with the presence of OPCW Director General Ahmet Üzümcü, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and a large number of ambassadors the destructive effects of chemical weapons on the Iranian people was put on display and the defending of the rights of victims of chemical weapons was reiterated.
Also, the Iranian NGOs participating in the Conference stated that Iranian victims of chemical weapons today were under immense pressure due to sanctions imposed by the United States against Iran on the pretext of Iran's nuclear activities. These sanctions have resulted in these individuals having difficulties in getting their necessary medications.
It must be said that in the 8 year imposed war against Iran, the dictator of Iraq Saddam Hussein continually used chemical weapons, and for the first time in history he used nerve gas and also for the first time used mustard gas against civilians.
Nearly 100,000 Iranians were affected by nerve and mustard gas during the imposed war, and around 10,000 died before they could receive any medical treatment. There five to six thousand victims who are still receiving medical treatment now.