OPCW Chief Hails Iran's Cooperation

TEHRAN (defapress)- Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons lauded Tehran for its cooperation with the OPCW, and said the country has active presence in international forums.

News ID: 77433

Date: 17 May 2019 - 19:18

"Iran's cooperation and active presence in the meetings of the OPCW is praiseworthy," Arias said in a meeting with Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the OPCW Ali Reza Kazzemi Abadi on Thursday.

During the meeting, both sides highlighted the significance of prohibition of chemical weapons and maintaining the achievements of the organization in the field.

The Iranian envoy, for his part, said that Iran with over 70,000 victims of the chemical weapons attaches a special significance to the organization and its ultimate goal which is banning chemical weapons, adding, "As any use of any type of them is crime against all humans, not the victims alone."

He also stressed the need for maintaining the specialized nature of the organization and avoiding politicization of atmosphere dominating it.

In a relevant development in February 2017, Iran was elected as head of the Asian Branch of the OPCW in The Hague.

Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the OPCW Alireza Jahangiri said that all OPCW members unanimously voted to Iran's presidency.

Established in 1997 and located in The Hague, the Netherlands, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons aims to implement the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in order to achieve the OPCW’s vision of a world that is free of chemical weapons and of the threat of their use.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is the implementing body of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which entered into force in 1997. As of today OPCW has 192 Member States, who are working together to achieve a world free of chemical weapons.

The Council is the executive organ of the Organization and consists of 41 members who are elected by the Conference to serve two-year terms.

Message end/