United Nations Security Council Resolution 612 was adopted unanimously on 9 May 1988. After considering a report by the Special Mission that was dispatched by the Secretary-General to investigate the alleged chemical warfare that had been occurring in the Iran–Iraq War, the council confirmed the use of chemical weapons and issued a condemnation on the grounds that the usage of these weapons ran contrary to states' obligations under the Geneva Protocol.
The council reaffirmed the urgency of the strict observance of the Geneva Protocol, expecting both sides to refrain from the future use of chemical weapons, in spite of the fact that only Iraqi chemical weapons had been deployed. It also urged United Nations member states to continue to apply or establish strict control of chemical products in exports to both Iran and Iraq, expressing the council's desire to further review the situation.