Poisoning of schoolgirls aims to shut down girls’ education in Iran: Official

TEHRAN, Iran (AA) – The poisoning of schoolgirls in central Iran’s Qom city, which has snowballed into a grave public health issue in recent months, got a new twist on Sunday with an official saying it was aimed at “shutting girls’ education”.

Deputy Health Minister Younes Panahi told a press conference in the northeastern city of Mashhad that some people were poisoning schoolgirls in Qom to disrupt their education, the state media reported.

“After the poisoning of several students in Qom schools, it became clear that some people wanted all schools, especially girls’ schools, to be closed,” Panahi said in a statement cited by state news agency IRNA.

Panahi, a member of the investigating committee, added that the poisoning of schoolgirls was caused by “chemical compounds” that are not contagious or communicable.

Hundreds of schoolgirls have been hospitalized in the city of Qom, a popular pilgrim site in central Iran, in recent months in what has been described as a wave of mysterious illness.

Last week, there were protests outside the provincial governor’s office in Qom, with parents seeking an “explanation” from the authorities.

In the latest incident reported by local media last week, at least 15 schoolgirls were admitted to a hospital in Qom after complaining of respiratory problems.

The first incident was reported in November last year when at least 18 schoolgirls were transferred to a hospital in Qom after complaining of symptoms such as nausea, breathing problems, cough and body pain.

Last week, Iran’s prosecutor general Mohammad Jafar Montazeri ordered a judicial probe into the mysterious illness. The result is still awaited.