ap ons - program ▁during ▁the ▁latter ▁part ▁of ▁that ▁war , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁reported ▁that ▁Iran ▁started ▁a ▁major ▁campaign ▁to ▁produce ▁and ▁stock p ile ▁chemical ▁weapons ▁after ▁a ▁tr uce ▁was ▁agreed ▁with ▁Ira q . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 3 ▁January ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁Iran ▁signed ▁the ▁Chem ical ▁We ap ons ▁Convention ▁and ▁rat ified ▁it ▁on ▁ 3 ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁In ▁the ▁official ▁declaration ▁submitted ▁to ▁OP C W ▁Iran ian ▁government ▁acknowled ged ▁that ▁it ▁had ▁developed ▁a ▁chemical - we ap ons - program ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁but ▁assert ed ▁that ▁it ▁had ▁since ▁ceased ▁the ▁program ▁and ▁destroyed ▁the ▁stock p iles ▁of ▁oper ational ▁weapons . ▁ ▁In ▁an ▁interview ▁with ▁G are th ▁Por ter , ▁Moh sen ▁Ra fig h do ost , ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁the ▁Islam ic ▁Revolution ary ▁Guard ▁Corps ▁throughout ▁the ▁eight - year ▁Iran - I ra q ▁war , ▁described ▁how ▁supre me ▁leader ▁Ay atol lah ▁K home ini ▁had ▁twice ▁blocked ▁his ▁proposal ▁to ▁begin ▁working ▁on ▁both ▁nuclear ▁and ▁chemical ▁weapons ▁to ▁counter ▁Ira qi ▁chemical ▁attacks , ▁which ▁Ra fig h do ost ▁interpreted ▁as ▁a ▁fat wa ▁against ▁their ▁use ▁and ▁production , ▁because ▁it ▁was ▁issued ▁by ▁the ▁" guard ian ▁jur ist ". ▁ ▁A ▁U . S . ▁Central ▁Int elligence ▁Agency ▁report ▁dated ▁January