Iran: Over 100 arrested Nationwide over mystrey school poisonings

Iran announced that more than 100 arrests have been made nationwide over the mystery poisonings of thousands of schoolgirls, charging that the unidentified alleged perpetrators may have links with “hostile” groups.

In the wave of cases since late November, schoolgirls have suffered fainting, nausea, shortness of breath and other symptoms after reporting “unpleasant” odours on school premises, with some being treated in hospitals.

State media reported that the Iranian Interior ministry announced the arrests over the suspected poison attacks in more than 200 schools that have sparked fear and anger among pupils and their parents.

“More than 100 people who were responsible for the recent school incidents were identified, arrested and investigated,” the ministry said in a statement.

“Among those arrested are people with hostile motives and with the aim of instilling terror in the people and students and to close schools.”

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had last Monday called for the perpetrators of the “unforgivable crime” to be tracked down “without mercy.”

The ministry added that “fortunately, from the middle of the last week until today, the number of incidents in schools has decreased significantly, and there have been no reports of sick students.”

The poisonings started two months into the protests that gripped Iran following the September 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, an ethnic Kurd who had been arrested over an alleged violation of strict dress rules for women. Iran has blamed those protests, which it commonly labels “riots,” on hostile forces abroad linked to its arch foes the United States, Israel and their allies.

More than 5,000 pupils have been affected in poisoning cases in approximately 230 schools across 25 out of Iran’s 31 provinces, the latest official tally said.

The ministry noted that arrests were made in the provinces of Tehran, Qom and Gilan in the north, Razavi Khorasan in the northeast, West Azerbaijan, East Azerbaijan and Zanjan in the northwest, Kurdistan and Hamadan in the west, Khuzestan in the southwest and Fars in the south.