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.

Dear colleagues / friends

 It has now been more than a month since the onset of this unlawful and unprovoked war against Iran.

 During this period, hundreds of innocent civilians have been killed and thousands more injured. The scale and nature of the violence demand urgent and sustained international attention.

Civilian infrastructure—including schools, medical centers, residential areas, public service facilities, and sites of cultural heritage—has been systematically and deliberately targeted, day and night. At the same time, leaders of the aggressor countries continue to issue threats to destroy Iran’s infrastructure, including power plants and the oil industry.

 Despite the severity of these actions, selective media coverage and contemporary forms of censorship have significantly limited global awareness and understanding of the realities on the ground.

 Equally concerning is the silence and inaction of the international community and major global institutions. Organizations that once symbolized collective security and justice now appear increasingly marginalized and ineffective—arguably to an unprecedented degree since their establishment. This erosion of institutional credibility raises fundamental questions about the effectiveness of international law and global governance mechanisms.

 It is particularly disheartening that frameworks intended to prevent war crimes—such as international law, the Geneva Conventions, and International Humanitarian Law—as well as institutions such as the United Nations Security Council and the International Committee of the Red Cross, are widely perceived as failing to uphold their mandates. The apparent impunity with which aggression is carried out risks undermining the very foundations of the international order.

In addition, it is important to emphasize the principle of consistency in the application of international norms. Just as the Russian invasion of Ukraine was widely condemned by governments, institutions, and civil society across the world, acts of aggression elsewhere must be met with the same clarity and resolve. Failure to do so risks reinforcing perceptions of hypocrisy and double standards in the international system, undermining trust in global governance and the universality of international law.

Furthermore, more than four decades of unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States have significantly shaped Iranian society, rather than weakening the country, these sustained pressures have contributed to a high degree of resilience and self-reliance among the Iranian people. The assumption that external military intervention would lead to a rapid internal collapse is therefore a delusion, deeply flawed and fails to account for the social, political, and historical realities of the country.

On a personal level, most members of the Tehran Peace Museum and their families remain in Tehran, as do many citizens despite the constant threat of bombardment and airstrikes. First responders continue to provide rescue and medical care to victims around the clock. The Iranian people remain deeply committed to their homeland and resolute in defending its sovereignty against external aggression and fragmentation.

There is widespread concern that the current trajectory could mirror the destabilization seen in countries such as Libya and Syria, with far-reaching consequences for regional and global stability.

The human cost of this conflict is profound. These tragedies are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of civilian casualties, including the devastating loss of young students in targeted schools and universities. The reported tragedy at Minab elementary school, where 170 children were killed, stands as just one heartbreaking example.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/mar/28/parents-victims-iran-minab-shajareh-tayyebeh-school-bombing-describe-day

While there is broad recognition that this constitutes an illegal act of aggression against a sovereign state, critical questions remain unanswered: Who will take responsibility for stopping it? What is the role and responsibility of civil society?

 In this context, the role of peace movements, anti-war organizations, scholars, and activists is more vital than ever. Raising awareness, spreading verified information, challenging misinformation and war propaganda, and mobilizing public opinion are essential steps toward accountability and justice. The expectation from those enduring the consequences of this conflict is clear: the global community must do more.

 We call upon INMP members and other concerned individuals to engage actively, leveraging their platforms, expertise, and networks to ensure that this crisis receives the attention, scrutiny, and response it demands. Sustained, coordinated, and evidence-based action is critical—not only to address the current situation but also to uphold the integrity of international norms and to prevent further loss of innocent lives.

Now is the time for voices to rise. Your role has never been more critical. Speak out. Raise awareness. Demand accountability.

We cannot endure this alone!

Tehran Peace Museum team / 31 March 2026

On the Occasion of "World Science day for Peace and Development" a workshop was held at TPM in which the student of Tehran International  School (Secondary) actively participated and had discussion on Dual use of Science..

Celebrated every 10 November, World Science Day for Peace and Development, is an opportunity to remind us that science is like a double-edged sword.

It can be used in the service of peace, humanity and making people's lives easier,

or it can be used in the service of war and the destruction of people and the environment.

It is important to know how to use science responsibly and to consider ethics alongside science,

Otherwise, science can become a dangerous and destructive weapon, just as chemistry was used to create chemical weapons and cause endless death and suffering, and physics was used to create nuclear weapons and cause destruction...

The 27th General Assembly of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) was held in Dubai from 11 to 14 November 2025, with the participation of museum directors, researchers, experts and cultural heritage activists from all over the world. This important event, which is the main international gathering in the field of museology and cultural heritage, provides an opportunity to exchange experiences, examine common challenges and outline the future vision of museums globally.

During the conference, the elections for the Asia-Pacific Association of Museums (ICOM ASPAC) were also held. In these elections, Sahar Tafreshi, Public Relations Officer of the Tehran Peace Museum, was elected as a member of the ICOM ASPAC Board of Directors for the three-year term 2025 to 2028.
The presence of a representative from Iran in this regional structure can play an important role in strengthening international interactions, raising issues and capacities of Iranian museums, and more effectively participating in regional and global programs.

ICOM Asia and the Pacific is the regional branch of the International Council of Museums, which aims to develop professional cooperation among countries in the region, promote museology standards, and support joint projects.

This year, as in previous years, various events were held on the occasion of the International Day of Peace by the Tehran Peace Museum in cooperation with other NGOs, including:

Friday, September 19: Celebration of the International Day of Peace in the city park with the presence of children and parents, volunteers of the Peace Museum and social activists which included activities such as children’s group drawing, storytelling and the wish tree

Sunday, September 21: Joint event organized by several NGOs entitled: "Capacities of international humanitarian law in promoting peace with emphasis on the role of NGOs" and the holding of an exhibition of civilian victims of the recent Israeli attacks against Iran

Monday, September 22: Joint event of : "Living in peace is the right of all children" in collaboration between the Tehran Peace Museum and the Association for the Protection of Children's Rights and the with the presence of a large number of social activists and intellectuals in the field of children's education

The new edition of the "Peace Counts" workshop for social activists and young volunteers was held on Monday, August 18, 2025 at the Peace Museum in Tehran.
At first, the participants were introduced to the creative ideas of peacemakers to confront violence and conflicts and help victims of war and social violence in crisis-affected areas in different countries around the world, and then they practiced dialogue.

After that, they were introduced to the stages of conflict escalation through Friedrich Glaser's model in an interactive way. Finally, the topic of peace and violence and the pyramid of violence were briefly discussed.

Delivered by Ambassador Fernando Arias, OPCW Director-General

THE HAGUE, Netherlands–28 June 2025–It is an honour for me to address you today on this solemn occasion.

On this day, 28 June, 38 years ago, the people of Sardasht were exposed to an attack of unimaginable brutality. The large-scale use of mustard gas killed over 100 people, many of them children.

It also blighted the lives of thousands of people who continue to live with life-changing injuries and trauma.  

Today, and every year, the OPCW stands in solidarity with the people of Sardasht in commemorating the victims of this criminal attack.

On behalf of the OPCW, I wish to convey our sincere sympathies to the victims, to their families, and to all those who continue to suffer as a result of this atrocity. Remembering the tragedy of Sardasht is an opportunity to reflect on why our collective efforts to rid the world of chemical weapons are so vital.

It was in the aftermath of such atrocities that the international community, united by a common purpose, took decisive and collective action. The Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force in 1997 banning an entire category of weapons of mass destruction, and its implementing body, the OPCW was created in the same year.

Since then, we have seen significant progress in fulfilling the purpose of the Convention. In July 2023, we completed the destruction of all chemical weapons stockpiles declared by possessor states. This was done under strict international verification as set out in the Convention. This accomplishment provides assurances to the international community that such weapons could not be used again.

Despite our success, however, the threat of reemergence of chemical weapons is real – and growing.   Recent years have seen use and threats of use of chemical weapons in a number of countries, including by non-state actors.

The rapid advancement of science and technology presents new risks that the drafters of the Convention could not have foreseen.

In these circumstances, we must redouble our efforts to ensure that we never again witness such barbaric and illegal methods of warfare or acts of terrorism.

On 17 June we commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Geneva Protocol. That protocol, which bans the use of biological and chemical weapons in war, was a major breakthrough back in 1925.

Tragically, however, Sardasht is a stark reminder that laws themselves are not always enough. Only concerted global action through strong international institutions will safeguard the global norm.

It is in memory of the victims, and in honour of the survivors of these chemical attacks, that we strengthen our resolve to achieve – permanently – a world free of chemical weapons.  

Professor Kazuyo Yamane, a peace activist and pioneer in the field of “Museums for Peace,” has passed away.

Professor Yamane was a prominent figure in the international arena in the field of peace studies and museums for peace. She served as Associate Professor of Peace Studies at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto from 2011 to 2016 and was previously the Vice President of the Kyoto Museum for World Peace. She was a pioneer and member of the editorial board of the newsletter of the International Network of Museums for Peace (INMP) and also of the “MUSE” newsletter of the “Japanese Citizens Network of Museums for Peace.”

Professor Yamane was the daughter of a survivor of the 1945 Hiroshima atomic bombing and dedicated her entire professional life to promoting peace and education. She left behind numerous articles and books on the subject of museums for peace. The Tehran Peace Museum was also honored to accompany her in numerous programs.

May she rest in peace and her memory be cherished...

The attack by Israel (which is not a party to any of the international disarmament treaties) on nuclear facilities of Iran (which is a party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and adheres to its provisions) as well as targeting residential areas and killing civilian is a clear violation of the United Nations Charter and international law and is undoubtedly a war crime. The continuation of these attacks, supported by some countries claiming human rights and the silence of international bodies against such war crimes, is also evidence of the statement made by the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Ms. Spoljaric, who stated a few days ago in an interview: International humanitarian law (IHL) is being emptied of content...

The Tehran Peace Museum, while condemning these attacks by a regime that has proven to have no respect for international law and ethics, calls for immediate international action to stop these atrocities

The Tehran Peace Museum wishes prosperity for our beloved homeland of Iran. Hoping that life in peace and tranquility will soon return to the country.

Tehran Peace Museum – 17 June 2025

The third edition of the familiarization with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was held at the Tehran Peace Museum on Monday, 26 May 2025.

At first, Mr. Shahriar Khatri, former senior officer of the OPCW talked about the history, structure and the work of the organization Then, Mr. Nabi Azadi, representative of the National Authority for the Chemical Weapons Convention from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gave a speech on how the convention is implemented in Iran, as well as the structure, actions and performance of the National Authority in recent years. Then, in a live video connection with the headquarters of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Ms. Elizabeth Wachter, Head of Public Affairs and Spokesperson of the organization, gave a speech on the role of NGOs and academics in advancing the organization’s goals and the organization’s engagement with civil society in recent years, and then a question and answer session was held with her presence and one of the young interns of this department.

Given that the audience of this series of meetings is the younger generation, the organization's job and internship opportunities were also reviewed, and Ms. Mohaddeseh Jahangiri spoke about her one-year internship experience then Ms. Sahar Tafreshi, as the representative of the Tehran Peace Museum at the two recent OPCW annual conferences in The Hague, also spoke about her experience in organizing a side event and presenting a statement at the conference, accompanied by the wife of a chemical weapons veteran. Short videos related to the topics were shown during the program breaks.

At the end, participants were awarded a bilingual certificate of attendance.

The Tehran Peace Museum, Association for Protecting Children’s Right and the In Flanders Fields Museum (Ieper, Belgium) jointly organize a Training Course on Peace Education for Child Facilitators

The course which will be thought by a team of international instructors will be conducted in January / February 2025, Every Thursday, from 09:30 to 14:30 IST at the Tehran Peace Museum.

Simultaneous interpretation service will be provided during the course and participants who complete the training successfully will be receiving a bilingual certificate.

For registration and further details please visit: www.tpm.ir

The 29th Conference of States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) was held in The Hague, The Netherlands from 25 to 29 November 2024. Diplomatic delegations and high-ranking officials from 193 member states of the organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) were present at the conference. Representatives of the Tehran Peace Museum and the Chemical Weapons Victims Association, while attending the conference, held a side event, read a statement, and met with diplomatic delegations and members of other NGOs from different countries around the world during the conference. The Tehran Peace Museum, as a members of the CWC NGO Coalition, has had close ties with the OPCW in recent years, and has been actively involved in supporting victims of chemical weapons and raising awareness about the effects and consequences of these weapons on human health and the environment.

On the occasion of the International Day of Peace, an event called " The role of museums in promoting a culture of peace" was held at Tehran Peace Museum (TPM) on 22 September 2024.

The event which was attended by volunteers, social activists, experts in the field of museums as well as a group of survivors and veterans of 1980’s war, jointly organized by TPM, National Committee of Museums and the In Flanders Fields Museum in Ieper, Belgium.

Following the message of the Secretary General of the United Nations a number of experts including Mr. Seyyed Ahmad Mohit Tabatabai, Secretary of the National Committee of Museums of Iran, Ms. Mona Badamchizadeh, senior museology expert Mr. Ismail Babaei, senior expert in museum management. As well as Mr. Filip Deheegher and Mr. Wouter Sinaeve from the city of Ieper in Belgium shared their experiences with the participants in the event.

Monday 21 Aug 2024: A special ceremony was held at the Tehran Peace Museum in collaboration with the Bolivian Embassy on the occasion of the 199th anniversary of the independence of Bolivia in which a large number of ambassadors and foreign representatives in Tehran, officials of related organizations as well as volunteers of the Tehran Peace Museum attended ​​. In this event, in addition to commemorating Tupac Katari, the national hero of the fight against colonialism and unveiling the bust of this prominent figure in the history of Latin America, an exhibition was opened on this occasion in the Art Gallery of the Peace Museum. This exhibition, which includes pictures and posters from the ancient history of Bolivia and Latin America and the independence movement in this continent and the role of fighters such as Tupac Katari, is open to visitors until the 20th of September at the Art for Peace Gallery.

The 2^nd training session on “ introduction to Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons – OPCW – “ was held on Monday 10 June 2024 at the Tehran Peace Museum.

The event was attended by over 30 participants mostly postgraduate students of law, international relations as well as chemistry and biology.

A number of former OPCW staff members from inspectorate, International Cooperation and Assistance Division as well as two former OPCW Interns were among the speakers of this training session.

Ms Elisabeth Waechter, Head of Public Relations and Spokesperson of the OPCW was one of the speakers of the event who joind the training session via a live video call.

In her remarks, Mr Waechter provided brief information regarding the current and future activities of the OPCW and the role of civil society in promoting the goals of the OPCW and the Chemical Weapons Convention then she answered a number of questions from the audience.

Participants were also given chance to learn on how to use personal protective equipment in chemical incidents in a practical training.

The Tehran Peace Museum organizes such training sessions in regular basis to raise awareness among university students and young generation on the role of international organizations in promoting global peace/disarmament.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition "Let Me Breathe" took place on February 26, 2024, drawing a crowd of notable figures, including the ambassador of Japan and representatives for the UN. This exhibition pays tribute to five pioneering women scientists and artists who made significant contributions in Europe in the early 20th century. Dr. Clara Immerwahr from Germany, Dr. Gertrud Woker from Switzerland, Dr. Naima Sahlbom from Sweden, as well as Frida Perlen and Käthe Kollwitz from Germany, are being celebrated for their efforts to raise awareness about the dire consequences of using chemical weapons.
The ceremony commenced with the reading of a message from Professor Van Den Dungen, a well-known peace historian and the founder of the International Network of Museums for Peace (INMP). Following this, Seyyed Ahmad Mohit Tabatabai, president of ICOM Iran, delivered a speech highlighting the pivotal role of women in Iranian history and emphasizing their significance in the economic and social spheres.
After the formal ceremony, attendees were invited to visit the exhibition at the Tehran Peace Museum’s Gallery. For this exhibition, the efforts of these pioneering women have been showcased through posters and a collection of unique books and documents generously donated by Professor Peter van den Dungen, the founder of the International Network of Museums for Peace (INMP).

The exhibition will remain open to the public until March 11th at the Tehran Peace Museum, providing an opportunity for visitors to learn more about inspiring stories of these women and their enduring legacy in the fight against chemical weapons.

Tehran Peace Museum will hold an exhibition introducing and honoring five pioneering women from the early 20th century. Through the stories of Dr. Gertrud Woker, Dr. Naima Sahlbom, Frida Perlen, and Käthe Kollwitz, who were preceded by Clara Immerwahr’s dramatic and tragic protest, the exhibition sheds light on their efforts to raise awareness about the horrors of chemical weapons and showcases the misuse of science in war. For this exhibition, a collection of rare materials including books and pamphlets will be put of public display.

Opening ceremony: February 26^th, at 11:00                    

Venue: Tehran Peace Museum

Chemical Warfare victim Mr. Ahmed Gholamifard, died of respiratory failure on January 1^st, 2024.

He sustained severe lung and eye injuries due to mustard gas exposure in January 1987 During the Iran-Iraq war, and suffered from chronic complications of chemical injuries for more than three decades, including tracheal stenosis and corneal damag.

Mr. Gholamifard, who was a resident of Mashhad, was an active volunteer member of the Association for the Support of Chemical Weapons Victims and the Tehran Peace Museum. He participated in various social programs including international events: he spoke as a representative of chemical weapons victims at the annual onference of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague in 2018. He was also one of the 4 chemical warfare survivors who appeared in the court of the Netherlands in The Hague in June 2023 during the trial of two Dutch companies that sold chemicals to the Saddam regime and testified as a mustard gas victim.

Due to the severe narrowing of his airways (trachea), Ahmad had undergone many surgeries, including airway stenting and several corneal transplants, but he was still full of hope and was active in various cultural, social and educational programs. ..Tehran Peace Museum expresses its condolences to the respected family of Mr. Gholamifard and the community of chemical warfare survivors ..... May his soul rest in peace.....

November 30th is the International Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Weapons

This day, which was unanimously named by the member states of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and is included in the calendar of the United Nations' global events, is an opportunity to recall the danger of chemical weapons and the need to completely destroy the arsenals of these weapons, as well as a call to 4 non-member states to join immediately without condition to the convention on the prohibiting of the production, development, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons.

Also, this day is an opportunity to commemorate those who lost their lives as a result of such prohibited weapons, as well as those who suffered long-term illnesses and complications due to exposure to chemical weapons, including the victims of chemical weapons in Iran.

It should be remembered that despite the global ban on the use of chemical weapons, which were first used in the First World War, in the war imposed by Iraq against Iran (1980-1988), Saddam's regime used more than 3 thousand tons of deadly and highly toxic chemical weapons against the combatants and the defenseless people of the border areas of Iran, as a result of these attacks, nearly one million people were exposed to chemical agents, and more than one hundred thousand people were treated for serious chemical injuries, and thousands of people lost their lives.

Today, more than three decades have passed since the end of the war, nearly 65,000 chemical warfare survivors in Iran are still suffering from chronic diseases caused by chemical weapons, and many of them need continuous medical treatment.

Mass killing of civilians and targeting medical facilities and hospitals in Gaza which is an inhumane and criminal act as well as clear violation of international humanitarian law ( IHL)  must be stopped immediately.

The Tehran Peace Museum as one of the IHL promoting NGOs, along with many other international NGOs and millions of people around the world, while condemning such horrible war crimes, calls upon the international community and responsible international organizations to do all they can to stop the ongoing tragedies in Gaza and reminds them that silence in the face of these crimes makes criminals continue killing and committing genocide with impunity….