Iranian authorities have arrested suspects linked to the recent spate of student poisonings in five provinces of the country, according to a statement by Majid Mir-Ahmadi, the deputy interior minister.
The minister confirmed that the cases would be closely investigated from various angles and promised that the results of the investigation would be made public. It also showed that some of the incidents were caused by “unintentional” actions and those responsible were given appropriate warnings to prevent recurrence.
The Iranian Ministries of Interior, Intelligence, Health and Education, as well as the police and secret services, are among others involved in the investigation. As of November 2021, more than 700 students in more than 30 schools across Iran have identified symptoms of poisoning, and most have been discharged from hospitals after treatment.
The first case was reported in Qom province, where 18 school-age girls were hospitalized. Other schools in Qom, as well as in the western provinces of Lorestan, Ardabil and Kermanshah and in the capital Tehran have also reported similar cases.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Monday called on law enforcement to arrest those responsible for the student poisoning and vowed to ensure the maximum sentence for the perpetrators.
