Since the end of November, local media have reported cases of respiratory poisoning in schools in Qom. Hundreds of girls of about ten years of age fell victim to it. Some of them ended up in hospital for a short time.
clarification
According to the official Irna news agency, the parents of these children organized a campaign on February 14 to ‘ask for clarification’ from the authorities. The government spokesman promised the next day that the information and education ministries would investigate the cause of the poisoning. The deputy health minister has now admitted there was malicious intent. “It is now established that certain figures want the closure of schools, especially for girls”.
He also said that no suspects have been arrested yet. The victims ingested a chemical “of a non-military nature”. The story comes to light against the backdrop of large-scale protests in Iran over the death of Mahsa Amini. She died on September 16 after being arrested by clerical police for not wearing a headscarf in accordance with the strict Islamic dress code.