On 28 June 1987, Iraq dropped mustard gas bombs on Sardasht, West Azerbaijan, Iran. In two separate bombing runs on four residential areas, the attack killed 130 people and injured 8,000. The gas attacks occurred during the Iran–Iraq War when Iraq frequently used chemical weapons against Iranian civilians and soldiers.
In 2006, a quarter of the town's 20,000 residents were still experiencing severe illnesses from the attacks. The film Walnut Tree (2020) was inspired by the event.
Sardasht (Persian: سردشت) is a city in the Central District of Sardasht County, West Azerbaijan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district.
Sardasht, far from the frontline, was notably attacked with chemical weapons by Iraqi forces under Saddam Hussein during the Iran–Iraq War. It was the first deliberate chemical attack against civilians.
Walnut Tree (Persian: درخت گردو, romanized: Derakht-e Gerdoo) is a 2020 Iranian biographical war drama film directed by Mohammad Hossein Mahdavian and written by Ebrahim Amini and Hossein Hassani. it revolves around the Chemical bombing of Sardasht of 1987. The film screened for the first time at the 38th Fajr Film Festival and received 11 nominations. Mahdavian won a Crystal Simorgh for Best Director and Maadi won the Crystal Simorgh for Best Actor for his performance.