Doc explores memories of Iranian victims of chemical warfare

TEHRAN,Dec.26(MNA) -- Iranian filmmaker Mostafa Razaq-Karimi has recently completed a documentary series, which spotlights memories of Iranian soldiers wounded by Iraqi chemical weapons during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. “Memories for All Seasons”, which has been produced in five episodes by Channel 1 of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, was introduced during a ceremony in Tehran on Monday. Razaq-Karimi has focused on the large number of the soldiers who were transferred to Austria about 30 years ago to receive treatment at a Vienna hospital. “I was studying filmmaking in Vienna when the first group of soldiers arrived in the city,” Razaq-Karimi said in a speech during the ceremony. “With their arrival, I became more familiar with the world of war,” he added. Razaq-Karimi, who was working at the hospital’s kitchen, established a connection with the people and spent most of his time with them. “They spoke of their memories of the war… The hospital staff was deeply affected by their behavior,” he stated. The ceremony went on with a screening of the first episode of the series. The film begins with a scene showing an Iranian cargo plane equipped with beds for the soldiers landing at the Vienna International Airport. The film then shows the people lying in the beds on the plane. The pilot and his assistants have also been interviewed for the documentary, which Channel 1 has scheduled to begin broadcasting on Friday. According to an Iranian official document, Iraq used chemical weapons in 572 attacks on Iranian soldiers. About 100,000 Iranian soldiers were victims of Iraqi chemical attacks. Many were hit by mustard gas. The official estimate does not include the civilian population contaminated in nearby towns, or the children and relatives of the veterans, many of whom have developed blood, lung and skin complications, according to the Organization for Veterans. According to Iraqi documents, assistance in developing chemical weapons was obtained from firms in many countries, including the United States, West Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and France.