TEHRAN – On Wednesday, coinciding with Martyr’s Day, the Tehran court issued a verdict denounced the US for its role in the brutal killing of Iranian divers captured during Operation Karbala Four in the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.
The International Relations Court, Branch 55, ruled that the US provided important satellite and spy plane intelligence to Iraq’s Baassist administration. The information was directly linked to the capture, torture and martialism of Iranian command divers during the operation, the court found.
The Iran-Iraq War, a devastating eight-year conflict launched by Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Iranian territory in 1980, saw some of the most intense battles during Operation Karbala 4. Saddam buried some of the divers whom he captured live with his hands tied. Their bodies were found in southern Iraq in 2017.
The verdict ceremony, attended by high-ranking military and government officials and families of fallen divers, included a powerful speech by Mohsen Jameh Bozorg. Jameh Bozorg spoke of the horrific treatments that prisoners endured, including the denial of medical care at Iraqi hospitals and the inhumane state that led to many deaths.
“When they were captured, some of the injured were taken to hospitals in Iraq,” Jamme Bozorg said. “Nearly among the injured were Iraqis or members of Mujahen e Kalk (MEK) terrorist organisations brought to spy under the guise of the injured. These hospitals did not have proper care. Suffering.” He added that 57 of the 1,800 prisoners had died.
Another comrade, Motahari, spoke of her meticulous efforts to maintain secrets during Operation Karbala-4. Despite these efforts, American satellite intelligence proved critical and provided Saddam Hussein with important information that led to the failure of the surgery. Motahari praised the divers for their courage and resilience in the face of ruthless enemy attacks.