IRAN SAYS MORE THAN 100 ARRESTED OVER SCHOOL POISONINGS

Sun 12 March 2023:

In connection with a spate of suspected schoolgirl poisonings across Iran, more than 100 people have been detained in various cities.

According to a statement from the interior ministry obtained by the state-run IRNA news agency, those detained included “people who have had hostile motives, tried to create fear and horror among people and students, shut down schools, and created pessimism towards the Iranian government.

The government claimed that the individuals had been “identified, arrested, and investigated” in a number of cities, including Tehran.

Crisis over suspected Iran schoolgirl poisonings escalates

Alleged poisonings began in November in the Shiite holy city of Qom. Reports now suggest schools across 21 of Iran’s 30 provinces have seen suspected cases.#Iran #IranianSchoolgirls pic.twitter.com/vwjnbD7QCd

— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) March 5, 2023

“Initial inquiries show that a number of these people, out of mischief or adventurism and with the aim of shutting down classrooms and influenced by the created psychological atmosphere, have taken measures such as using harmless and smelly substances,” the statement said.

The first case occurred in November when 18 schoolgirls at a high school in the city of Qom were hospitalised due to poisoning.

Another incident took place in February in the same city when more than 100 students from 13 schools were hospitalised after what Iranian state news agencies described as “serial poisonings”.

Though the motive for poisoning schoolgirls is yet to be known, speculators have been divided between hardline Islamist groups and the Iranian regime.

KHAMENEI CALLS SERIAL POISONINGS OF SCHOOL GIRLS ‘UNFORGIVABLE CRIME’ AS CRISIS ESCALATES

While activists claim that the poisonings were linked to the nationwide protests that erupted last September following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, politicians, on the other hand, believe that radical groups have been responsible for it.

Notably, many schoolgirls have been seen removing their mandatory headscarves in classrooms, tearing up images of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and calling for his death as a form of agitation.

Earlier, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei condemned the suspected poisonings, calling them a “unforgivable crime” and calling for “severe punishment” for those found to be responsible.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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