Tehran, Baghdad to Continue Searching for Iranian Martyrs' Bodies
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian and Iraqi officials on Tuesday stressed the need for continued efforts to search for and find the remaining bodies of martyrs who were killed or reported to be missing during the war imposed on Iran by Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq during the 1980s.
In a meeting between Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian and Iraqi Minister of Human Rights Muhammad al-Bayati, the two sides described as "positive" the mutual cooperation between Tehran and Baghdad in finding the bodies.
At the meeting, Amir Abdollahian stressed how important it is for the Iranian nation and government to find the martyrs and locate those Missing in Action (MIA), and appreciated the serious cooperation of Iraqi government, particularly its human rights ministry, in the process.
Al-Bayati, for his part, expressed Iraq's continued and strong support for the activities of the Iranian committee for finding the martyrs and missing bodies.
The meeting was also attended by the commander of the Iranian committee, Brigadier General Seyed Mohammad Baqerzadeh.
General Baqerzadeh briefed the officials on the latest status of the committee’s activities, saying that the bodies of 45000 martyrs have been found so far and 6000 more are yet to be discovered.
The meeting came days after the bodies of 270 Iranian martyrs of the Iraqi imposed war on Iran were delivered to Iranian officials at Shalamcheh border-crossing.
On 22 September 1980, Iraq invaded Iran via air and land and began the imposed war on the country, which lasted for eight years.
