700 girls have been poisoned in Iran since November. Is it an attempt to stop girls from going to school?
The state of girls in Iran is critical. As women in the country are battling for their freedom with the anti-hijab protests, in the last few months, girls have been poisoned to 'force them to quit school'.
Almost 700 Iranian girls in different schools have suffered poison attacks since November, country's health minister has said. Some politicians in Iran are suggesting that they could have been targeted by religious groups opposed to girls' education.
Iran's clerical rulers have faced months of anti-government protests sparked by the death of a young Iranian woman, Mhasa Amini in the custody of the morality police who enforce strict dress codes for women.
What?
- Dozens of girls were admitted yesterday, February 28 after yet another mysterious poisoning of young girls, which is the latest in a string of alleged attacks on Iranian girls, reported the Arab International.
- At least 700 girls have been poisoned by toxic gas in Iran since November.
Another chemical attacks on schoolgirls in Iran.
— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) February 28, 2023
This is a revenge for the role the young women played in the recent protests against forced hijab and Islamic Regime.
A student who sent this video from Pardis, Tehran says,; “The Islamic are killing us pic.twitter.com/pkmw2R0eef… https://t.co/51fDyIpXo4
What's the latest: Girls in at least eight schools in Tehran, Ardabil, Parand and Kermanshah provinces have been poisoned since this morning, February 1, according to IRNA. This resulted in many families gathering outside the schools to express their anger while chanting slogans against the regime.
#BREAKING Schoolgirls in at least eight schools in Tehran, Ardabil, Parand and Kermanshah have been poisoned since this morning.
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) March 1, 2023
Many families have gathered outside the schools to express their concern and outrage, chanting slogans against the regime in some cases. pic.twitter.com/cr8B7rOA4w
Why?
Many believe this is an attempt to stop girls from going to school. Luckily, no girl has died, however, dozens have suffered respiratory problems, nausea, dizziness and fatigue.
- However, later he retracted his statement and said that his statement was 'misunderstood'.
- The cases are reported mostly in the city of Qom, south of Tehran, with some needing hospital treatment.
No arrests have been made in connection to these case so far, even though a criminal investigation was launched last week. Meanwhile, public frustration is increasing among people, especially parents, who were recently protesting in Qom city.
What is the government doing?
The Iranian parliament met on Tuesday to address the alleged assaults in the presence of the health minister Bahram Eynollahi, according to the official IRNA news agency.
IRNA quoted the parliament's speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf as saying that both Qom and Borujerd were "dealing with student poisonings"
When did it all begin?
The first poisoning took place on November 30, 2022 when 18 students from the Nour Technical School in the religious city of Qom were taken to hospital.