by Jerusalem Post Staff, Eli Leon, Maariv
Reports from UK officials suggest Iran used chemical substances to control protesters. Alleged delayed health reactions lead to deaths days later, sparking international concern.
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Reports from UK officials have raised serious concerns that Iranian security forces may have used chemical weapons or toxic substances to suppress dissent throughout the country.
The claims were reported on Saturday during a special broadcast on the British news network GB News, which cited an internal document described as “credible." However, it has not yet received official confirmation from Western intelligence sources.
Bill Esterson, a member of the British Labour Party’s foreign policy team, presented information on GB News from a report detailing the situation in one of Iran’s major cities. The report highlights several disturbing issues on the ground in Iran.
Prisons are reportedly facing severe overcrowding due to a wave of arrests of protesters, and courtrooms are reportedly crowded with the families of detainees, while lawyers have been denied entry, effectively preventing legal representation for those who have been arrested.
The most alarming aspect of Esterson’s report involves allegations that a “toxic chemical substance” was used against protesters.
Testimonies suggest that this substance caused delayed health reactions, with some victims reportedly dying several days after exposure rather than immediately.
During the discussion in the GB news studio, it was noted that the number of people killed or injured due to the use of such substances is believed to be very high. British journalist Patrick Christys emphasized in the GB News report the significance of the “delayed reaction,” making it difficult to quickly identify the cause of harm.
This discussion prompted troubling historical comparisons on GB News, including the massacre carried out by Saddam Hussein in Halabja, where gas was used against thousands of Kurdish civilians. References were also made to Syria under the Assad regime, which has faced accusations of using chemical substances against protesters.
No official confirmation regarding Iran's use of chemical weapons
As of now, no official confirmation of these allegations has been issued by government sources in the US or Europe. Nevertheless, the existence of the report has heightened concern within the international community monitoring human rights violations in the Islamic Republic.
During the wave of protests in 2022, there were also reports of an unidentified “green gas” used against protesters in the Kurdish cities of Javanrud and Piranshahr. Videos circulated on social media showing thick green smoke filling the streets during violent clashes with security forces, causing panic among residents and reviving painful memories of past chemical attacks.
Medical experts and chemists at that time assessed that the substance might have been hexachloroethane or adamsite (DM), materials sometimes used to disperse demonstrations or create military screening.
According to testimonies and medical evaluations, exposure to the gas leads to symptoms such as severe skin irritation, nausea, mental disorientation, and temporary muscle paralysis. Doctors noted that while the substance is considered carcinogenic and intended primarily to instill fear among protesters, it is not as lethal as military nerve gas.
Jerusalem Post Staff, Eli Leon, Maariv
Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-883638
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