Iran's permanent representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has urged countries in possession of chemical weapons, especially the US, to eliminate their arsenals, Press TV reported.
Underlining the threat of chemical weapons to international peace and security, Kazem Gharibabadi called on the countries armed with chemical weapons, in particular the US, to show full commitment to their obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) to eliminate such weapons.
Gharibabadi, who is also Iran's ambassador to the Netherlands, made the remark during a speech at the 17th Conference of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague on Tuesday.
He pointed out the need for the complete and unbiased implementation of the CWC, adding that the elimination of chemical weapons needed to remain the main top priority of the organization for achieving a world free of chemical weapons.
The Iranian envoy underlined the significance of the Convention and its role in international peace and security and said the fact that Israel is not a signatory to the Convention has created instability and raised security concerns in the Middle East.
He called for effective measures to be taken to compel the Israeli regime to join the Convention and fulfill its obligations to eliminate chemical arsenals.
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is the implementation arm of the Chemical Weapons Convention Based in The Hague.
The Convention aims to eliminate an entire category of weapons of mass-destruction by prohibiting the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, transfer or use of chemical weapons by any country.