A lawmaker looking into the cases claims that since late November, a wave of poisonings has impacted more than 5,000 Iranian schoolchildren, mostly female students.
The mysterious poisonings have engulfed Iran, inciting a wave of rage and calls for the officials to take action.
The first cases were reported shortly after the beginning of the nationwide protests sparked by the death of Iranian Kurd Mahsa Amini, 22, after her arrest for allegedly breaking Iran’s strict dress code for women. Her death sparked international concern and calls for an independent investigation from the West.
Numerous schools have been affected, with students reporting “unpleasant” odors on school grounds and experiencing symptoms like shortness of breath, dizziness, and vertigo. Some have received medical care.
“Twenty-five provinces and approximately 230 schools have been affected, and more than 5,000 schoolgirls and boys poisoned,” Mohammad-Hassan Asafari, a member of the parliamentary fact-finding committee, told the ISNA news agency on Monday.
“Various tests are being carried out to identify the type and cause of the poisonings. So far, no specific information has been obtained regarding the type of poison used.”
Calling the poisonings an “unforgivable crime”, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gave orders Monday for the perpetrators to be tracked down “without mercy”.
