Several hundred cases of gas poisoning in dozens of establishments have been reported in the last three months.
MO12345lemonde with AFP
New cases of Iranian schoolgirl intoxication were listed on Saturday March 4 in at least five provinces by the media, while the mystery persists on this poisoning affair which causes strong emotion in the country.
Dozens of young girls were transferred to hospitals from the provinces of Hamedan (West), Zanjan and Western Azerbaijan (North West), Fars (South) and Alborz (North), reported the Tasnim and Mehr agencies. The general state of health of these students, taken from respiratory problems, dizziness or headache, is not considered serious, according to them.
In total, several hundred cases of gas poisoning in dozens of establishments have been reported in the last three months, especially in the holy city of Qom. This mysterious affair provoked mobilizations of parents of students worrying about their children and asking the authorities to act.
President Ebrahim Raïssi asked the Ministries of the Interior and Intelligence on Friday to “fail the conspiracy of the enemy who aims to create the fear and despair of the population”. He did not give any indications on the identity of this “enemy”.
The UN claims a “transparent investigation”
The authorities criticized, as an interference in the affairs of the country, the appeal launched on Friday by German diplomacy to elucidate “all cases” in this “shocking” poisoning case. The United Nations High Commission for Human Rights also requested “a transparent investigation” and public conclusions.
The government has announced an investigation into the origins of poisoning, but no arrest has been announced at this stage. Last week, an official of the Ministry of Health explained that “some individuals” sought, by these actions, to “close all schools, especially girls’ schools”. This version has not been taken up by other officials.
This case occurs while Iran is shaken by a protest movement since the death on September 16 of Mahsa Amini, a young woman owned by the customs police who reproached him for having violated the strict dress code imposing in particular to women wearing the veil.
