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Iranian court holds US responsible for divers massacre in IranIraq War

· 2 min read

Iranian court holds US responsible for divers' massacre in Iran-Iraq War​

TEHRAN – On Wednesday, coinciding with Martyrs' Day, a Tehran court announced a verdict condemning the United States for its role in the brutal killing of Iranian divers captured during Operation Karbala-4 in the 1980s Iran-Iraq War.

Iranian court holds US responsible for divers' massacre in Iran-Iraq War

The International Relations Court, branch 55, ruled that the United States provided crucial satellite and spy plane intelligence to Saddam Hussein's Ba'athist regime in Iraq. This intelligence, the court found, directly led to the capture, torture, and martyrdom of Iranian commando divers during the operation.

The Iran-Iraq War, a devastating eight-year conflict initiated by Saddam Hussein's invasion of Iranian territory in 1980, saw some of its fiercest fighting during Operation Karbala-4. Saddam buried some of the divers it had captured alive with their hands tied. Their remains were uncovered in southern Iraq in 2017. 

The verdict ceremony, attended by high-ranking military and government officials and families of the fallen divers, included a powerful address by Mohsen Jameh Bozorg, a freed captive and comrade of the martyrs. Jameh Bozorg recounted the horrific treatment endured by the captives, including denial of medical care and inhumane conditions in Iraqi hospitals that led to many deaths.

"During captivity, some of the injured were taken to hospitals in Iraq," Jameh Bozorg said. "Among the injured were Iraqis or members of the Mujahen-e-Khalq (MEK) terror organization, brought in for espionage under the guise of being wounded. These hospitals lacked proper care, and Iranian captives were often denied even basic treatment. We were asked to insult Imam Khomeini to get our bandages changed, a request we refused. As a result, we were left to tend our own wounds, enduring unimaginable suffering." He added that 57 out of the 1800 captives perished.

Another comrade, Motahari, spoke of the meticulous efforts to maintain secrecy during Operation Karbala-4. Despite these efforts, American satellite intelligence proved decisive, providing Saddam Hussein with critical information that led to the operation's failure. Motahari lauded the divers' bravery and resilience in the face of relentless enemy attacks.

source: tehrantimes.com