"I am living to tell people about the suffering caused by poison gas," said Emran Jangdoust (19), then he began coughing severely.

A room on the 9th floor of Sasan General Hospital in downtown Tehran. The Hiroshima Peace Mission returned from Sardasht to the capital and met this young man in a hospital with many critical inpatients still suffering from aftereffects of poison gas.

Jangdoust was born and raised in Sardasht. A week ago he had trouble breathing and was rushed to the emergency room.

His hometown was bombed with poison gas by an Iraqi plane in 1987. He was two. He has already lost 9 of the 11 members of his family. He and his father are the only survivors. The other 57 people who lived in the same area have been dying one after the next from aftereffects. There are only seven left.

-Severe aftereffects

Young children were especially terrified by the bombing and started crying, so they inhaled a lot of the mustard gas. Therefore, they have conspicuously severe aftereffects. Jangdoust can never be far from his canister of oxygen.

He asked hibakusha Takashi Teramoto (69) a question. "I've been in and out of hospitals since I was a small child. I haven't been able to live a normal life. Did any of the hibakusha get to go to college?" He asked because his dream is to go to college, study and write a book about chemical weapons in an effort to keep such a tragedy from happening again.

"Sure, lots of hibakusha have gone to college. I hope you'll conquer your physical problems and fulfill your dream." Teramoto did his best to encourage the young man.

Translating Teramoto's words into English for Jangdoust was college senior Haruka Katarao (21). Speaking with this patient so close to her age, she was even more powerfully struck by the cruelty of chemical weapons. At the same time, her heart was touched by this young man's determination to live.

"As a peace activitist, I am often realistically aware of my impotence and the great difficulty of achieving peace. But Jangdoust has never lost hope. I've really been encouraged by him."

Katarao will be in Hiroshima in June practice teaching at the junior high school from which she graduated. Inspired, she says, "I'm going to talk about this experience in class and hope to plant the seeds of peace in the hearts of the students."

The visits to Sardasht City and the Sasan General Hospital were accomplished in large part due to assistance from Shahriar Khateri (33), a doctor who serves as director of the Society for Chemical Weapons Victims Support (SCWVS). This society was founded three years ago by about 50 people including doctors, lawyers and other victims.

They get involved in health surveys, summer retreats for psychological care, memorial services and other projects. Last year, Khateri and Jangdoust attended an international conference of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) held in Hague, the Netherlands. They presented a powerful appeal regarding the inhumanity of chemical weapons.

-Please come to Hiroshima

Khateri is especially worried about the long-term effects of mustard gas. "This gas doesn't just kill people on the spot. It's a cruel weapon designed to make them suffer for years. In Iran, aftereffects have been appearing over the past ten years, and the number of deaths continue to increase."

In addition, poison gas can damage genes, so its effects on the children of victims are greatly feared. "The results are not yet in, but there is a conspicuous number of children with poor immune systems. I would very much like to pursue this research in association with a college in Japan."

After visiting Sasan General Hospital, the Peace Mission donated the A-bomb photos and videos they brought with them as a token of gratitude. Khateri said, "We're going to hold a joint poison gas and A-bomb exhibition. I would also like to participate with victims in Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Ceremony." He made it quite clear that he wanted to go to the A-bombed city this summer to continue the exchange.

(Caption of picture below) Khateri (left) explaining the tragic situation at the office of the Society for Chemical Weapons Victims Support

(Caption)Jangdoust (right) and Katarao talking about peace in English. Khateri is in the center.