More schoolgirls poisoned in Iran

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In the cities of Abhar in the west and Ahwas in the southwest of the country, several girls were poisoned at two high schools, Iran’s Isna news agency reported, citing representatives of local health authorities. A primary school in Sandschan in western Iran was also hit.

Mehr and Ilna news agencies reported that schools in Mashhad in the northeastern part of the country, in Isfahan in central Iran and in southern Shiraz were affected by the new cases of poisoning.

Hundreds of cases of poisoning of girls have been reported in dozens of schools in the past three months. According to the authorities, a total of 52 schools have been affected.

On Friday, President Ebrahim Raisi ordered the interior and intelligence ministries to investigate the poisoning cases. He described this as a “conspiracy by the enemy to instill fear and despair among the populace”. Iran’s Interior Minister Ahmed Wahidi said in a statement Saturday evening that “suspicious samples” had been found during the “site search”. He did not give further details.

Deputy Interior Minister Majid Mirahmadi told the Fars news agency that the masterminds behind the poisoning are pursuing the goal of closing girls’ schools. They wanted to blame the Iranian leadership and “rekindle the extinguished flame of unrest”.

The deputy interior minister referred to the massive protests sparked last year by the death of 22-year-old Kurd Mahsa Amini. She was arrested in September by the vice police because she would not wear her headscarf properly. Activists claim that Amini was mistreated by the police.

Mirahmadi assured that only “a very small proportion” of the poisonings were caused by “intentional actions”. However, a “significant proportion” of affected schoolgirls suffered complications due to “anxiety and stress”. The cases of poisoning, which are causing quite a stir in Iran and worrying parents, are also causing international outrage.

(AFP)

Source: Blick