Iran’s deputy minister said on Sunday that “some people” were poisoning schoolgirls in order to prevent them from obtaining an education, according to state media.
Since late November, hundreds of cases of respiratory poisoning have been reported among schoolgirls mainly in religious city of Qom, with some needing hospital treatment.
On Sunday the deputy health minister, Younes Panahi, finally confirmed the poisonings had been deliberate.
An Iranian deputy minister on Sunday said “some people” were poisoning schoolgirls in the holy city of Qom with the aim of shutting down education for girls, state media reported.
Since late November, hundreds of cases of respiratory poisoning have been reported among schoolgirls mainly in Qom, south of Tehran, with some needing hospital treatment.
On Sunday the deputy health minister, Younes Panahi, implicitly confirmed the poisonings had been deliberate.
“After the poisoning of several students in Qom schools, it was found that some people wanted all schools, especially girls’ schools, to be closed,” the IRNA state news agency quoted Panahi as saying.
He did not elaborate. So far, there have been no arrests linked to the poisonings.
The poisonings come as Iran has been rocked by protests since the December 16 death in custody of 22-year-old Iranian Kurd Mahsa Amini for an alleged violation of the country’s strict dress code for women.
