Today, June 28, 2026, marks the 39th anniversary of the chemical attack on Sardasht. It is an occasion to honor the memory of the thousands of people who lost their lives during the eight-year Iran–Iraq War as a result of chemical warfare, as well as the tens of thousands who were injured in these attacks and continue to suffer, nearly four decades later, from the long-term health consequences of these internationally prohibited weapons.

On June 28, 1987, the city of Sardasht, in Iran's West Azerbaijan Province, was struck by seven bombs containing sulfur mustard (mustard gas). Four of the bombs landed in densely populated areas of the city center, exposing countless civilians—men, women, and children going about their daily lives—to the toxic gas. Dozens of people were killed, and hundreds more sustained injuries that led to lifelong physical and psychological complications. This attack marked the first time in modern history that a civilian population in an urban area was deliberately targeted with chemical weapons. In recognition of this tragedy, July 27 is commemorated in Iran as the National Day for Combating Chemical and Biological Weapons.

Despite the prohibition of chemical weapons under the 1925 Geneva Protocol, more than 3,000 tons of chemical agents ( including nerve agents and Sulfur Mustard) were used against Iranian military personnel and civilians during the eight-year Iran–Iraq War by the regime of Saddam Hussein. The devastating humanitarian consequences of these attacks continue to be felt by survivors and their families to this day.