Iran don develop chemical weapon wey dey based on fentanyl

Iran don develop chemical weapon wey dey based on synditic opioids like fentanyl, na wetin US expert dey warn, powerful agents wey fit disable soldiers or civilians if dem add am to grenade or artillery.

According to report, Pharmaceutical-based agents, or PBA, na medicine wey dem don turn to weapon wey fit disable or kill pipo wey dem use am on, depending on how dem expose dem.

Iran fit don give PBA to im proxies like Hezbollah, wey fit use am to kidnap Israeli soldiers and civilians.

As we dey see more wahala for Middle East, wey mostly dey come from di militancy of Iranian proxies.

We no fit just overlook di threats wey Irans weaponized PBA program dey pose, na wetin Matdiw Levitt write for one article wey e do for di Combatting Terrorism Center for West Point.

Di U.S. Government Accountability Office define PBAs as chemicals wey dey based on pharmaceutical compounds, wey fit get legitimate medical uses or no get, and fit cause serious sickness or death if dem misuse am.

Dem include opioids like fentanyl and tranquilizers for animals.

Dise drugs dey affect pesin central nervous system.

Once dem inhale am, dise agents go make victims lose full consciousness and allow di forces wey dey use am to move fast and quiet and/or carry di unconscious victims, Levitt write.

“Iran na victim of chemical warfare during di Iran-Iraq War for di 1980s, wen Iraqi chemical attacks wey include nerve gases like Sarin, and mustard gas contribute to as many as 1 million Iranian casualties.”

“But Iran use im own mustard gas for some occasions during di war.”

Israel believe say Iran don use PBAs against rebels for Syrian Civil War, and e get report say pro-Iranian militias for Iraq fit don use am against anti-government protestors.

Di problem be say Iran dey right wen dem talk say dem don suffer from chemical weapons in terrible ways during di Iran-Iraq war, Levitt, wey be senior fellow for Washington Institute think tank, tell Business Insider.

But di reality be say dem sef don dey use dis kind thing too.

Di US and im allies don dey warn for years say Iran dey develop pharmaceutical-based weapons wey dey breach di 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention wey ban di manufacture and use of toxic chemicals.

Wey dem define as chemical action wey fit affect life processes wey fit cause death, temporary incapacitation or permanent harm to humans or animals.

Treaty signatories including Iran suppose destroy any stockpile wey dem get.

But, evidence dey show say Iran dey pursue PBAs.

For 2014, Irans Chemistry Department of IHU Imam Hossein University dey look for kilogram quantities of medetomidine one veterinary sedative wey dem don research as aerosolized incapacitant from Chinese exporters, according to one 2023 US State Department report.

Di Chemistry Department no get plenty history of veterinary or even medical research, and di quantities wey dem dey look for (over 10,000 effective doses) no match with di reported end use of di research.

In September 2023, Iranian anti-government hackers post confidential documents wey show how Iranian military university dey develop grenades wey go fit spread medetomidine, na wetin State Department talk.

Wetin dey cause concern na di references wey dey Iranian literature to di 2002 Dubrovka incident.

Wen Russian security forces pump pharmaceutical gas wey fit be fentanyl or carfentanyl, anodir synditic opioid wey strong pass into one crowded diater for Moscow to subdue Chechen rebels wey don take almost one thousand hostages.

Commandos come storm di building and kill di rebels wey no fit move but di gas still kill more than 130 hostages.

But to restrict PBAs no easy because dem dey overlap with products wey pipo dey use for legitimate law enforcement and medical purposes.

For example, law enforcement don dey use tear gas as riot control agent since First World War, while US troops use am for Vietnam War to smoke out enemy tunnels.

Tear gas still dey legal wen dem use am for riot control, but e no dey legal as battlefield weapon.

Stopping countries from making PBAs na very, very difficult, na why you don see plenty focus on diplomatic efforts, sanctions and some law enforcement actions, na wetin Levitt talk.

Iranian PBAs na particular problem if Tehran don supply dem to proxies like Hezbollah.

If dem deploy weapons wey dem produce with dual-use items, and din give those weapons to proxies, e go give Iran multiple layers of cover and reasonable deniability for wetin dem don do, na wetin CTC article talk.

Israel dey fear say Hezbollah go use PBA weapons as part of wetin dem dey call plan to take over Galilee region for northern Israel and carry Israeli citizens go.

Maybe you go just use dem to disable di border guards and reach di civilians wey no get protection now, Levitt talk. Or, you go actually target and disable di soldiers so you fit kidnap or capture dem.

Israel recent military attacks for Lebanon don really hurt Hezbollah, including dem big stock of missiles. But PBAs fit join hand grenades and mortar shells, wey Hezbollah still get plenty.

And e still dey possible say US forces fit clash with Iran and im allies and meet pharmaceutical-based agents.

Di US, for contrast, don finish to destroy im chemical weapons for 2023.

But, Levitt dey emphasize say PBAs no dey di same level as weapons of mass destruction like nerve gas, wey fit kill plenty pipo for where dem expose am. Dis one no be strategic threat.

E na tactical weapon.

Still, chemical weapons get one kind frightening vibe, even if fentanyl gas no near as deadly as nerve gas.

I think say plenty, plenty pipo go see am like dat because you dey talk about chemical weapons, Levitt talk.

Michael Peck na defense writer wey im work don appear for Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and oda publications. E get MA for political science from Rutgers Univ.

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