Protests intensify in Iran over the poisoning of thousands of school girls

OAN Deven Berryhill
UPDATED 1:00 PM PT – Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Iran witnessed protests after more than 1,000 schoolgirls were mysteriously poisoned over the past year.

Numerous Iranian news media reported Tuesday that hundreds of Iranian parents, teachers, students, and other citizens marched in Tehran to protest the government’s failure to take action against perpetrators. Iranian state media reported hundreds of respiratory diseases among schoolgirls from 21 of 31 Iranian provinces.

Some protesters put the blame on Tehran’s foes for the poisonings, according to reports. Some others criticized Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s inability of containing the crisis.

The Supreme Leader of Iran condemned Tuesday’s poisonings and made an appearance in public. “unforgivable crime.” 

“Those behind the poisoning should face ‘severe punishment,” said Khamenei. “[This is a] serious and unforgivable crime and there will be no amnesty for the perpetrators”.

Some have suggested that these mysterious events may have been the result of hard-line Iranian groups acting as guardians of Islam. Other critics suggested this might have been an attempt by extremists keeping girls away from pursuing education.

“Today at noon, a number of students were poisoned at the Khayyam girls’ school in the city of Pardis, Tehran province,” According to the Tasnim news agency, Iran.

White House demanded an independent investigation The U.N.’s Fact-Finding Mission On Iran To determine the source of poisoning.

Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli Iran’s Interior Minister said investigators had discovered “suspicious samples” In the vicinity of schools.

“In field studies, suspicious samples have been found, which are being investigated… to identify the causes of the students’ illness, and the results will be published as soon as possible,” Minister said this in an official statement by IRNA.

A statement by Center For Human Rights In Iran states that twenty Iranian lawyers have called upon the United Nations for an investigation of school-related illnesses.

“Due to the Iranian government’s incompetence—or unwillingness—to stop poison gas attacks against schoolgirls in Iran, international support is urgently needed to protect Iranian children and their right to education,” Hadi Ghaemi is the executive director at Center for Human Rights in Iran.