Experts believe radical Islamist groups are behind the poisonings
Photo: REUTERS
Mystical things are happening in Iran. Hundreds of schoolchildren in various cities of the country are exposed to strange cases of poisoning. They started in November and now they have acquired a massive character. Education in the Islamic Republic is separate, and for some reason the infection affects only the schools where girls study.
For many, the symptoms of the disease go away on their own (and this is temporary paralysis of the limbs, headache and nausea), but some, including teachers, had to be hospitalized. Before entering the hospital, victims often reported unusual odors, claiming they smelled like rotten tangerines or strong perfume. In some places, witnesses noted that before the mass poisonings, unknown objects were thrown in schoolyards.
Initially, authorities vehemently denied malicious intent, claiming that “the girls just panicked.” But the other day, officials finally conceded that the attacks on the schoolgirls are likely deliberate. The head of the parliamentary education commission reported that nitrogen gas was found in poison used in some schools, and some officials suggested that the crimes may have been committed by “enemies of the Islamic Republic.” It is not known who these enemies are, but most experts believe that radical Islamist groups opposed to women’s education are behind the attacks. At one point, the Taliban made similar attempts to poison schoolgirls in Afghanistan (the organization is banned in Russia).
On Saturday in Tehran, hundreds of parents of victims flocked to the Ministry of Education building to protest against the poisonings. The protesters accused the authorities of silencing the problem and threatened to remove their children from schools if the attacks did not stop and the perpetrators were not punished.
