Iran Makes First Arrests In Suspected Poisonings That Have Affected 5000 Schoolgirls: Report

Iran has been engulfed by the mysterious poisonings, which have sparked a wave of resentment and calls for the authorities to take action.

Iran's deputy interior minister announced the first arrests in a string of alleged schoolgirl poisonings that have beset the nation for several months on Tuesday, reported news agency AFP. Majid Mirahmadi stated on state television that, "Based on the intelligence and research measures of the intelligence agencies, a number of people have been arrested in five provinces and the relevant agencies are conducting a full investigation."

A lawmaker who is looking into the incidents said that the recent rash of poisonings, which have mostly affected female students, has affected over 5,000 Iranian schoolchildren.

Iran has been engulfed by the mysterious poisonings, which have sparked a wave of resentment and calls for the authorities to take action.

They have also sparked international concern and Western calls for an independent investigation, especially since the first cases were reported shortly after nationwide protests were started by the death of 22-year-old Iranian Kurd Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for allegedly violating Iran's strict dress code for women.

Numerous schools have been affected, with students reporting "unpleasant" smells on school grounds and experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea, and vertigo. In hospitals, some have been treated.

Mohammad-Hassan Asafari, a member of the parliamentary fact-finding committee, told the ISNA news agency on Monday that "Twenty-five provinces and approximately 230 schools have been affected, and more than 5,000 schoolgirls and boys poisoned."

“Various tests are being carried out to identify the type and cause of the poisonings. So far, no specific information has been obtained regarding the type of poison used.”

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, issued instructions on Monday for the poisonings' perpetrators to be pursued "without mercy," describing them as an "unforgivable crime."

Last week, President Ebrahim Raisi gave the interior ministry the responsibility of providing ongoing investigation updates.

“In less than five percent of the students transferred to hospital, irritant materials were found which led to their ill-health,” the ministry said in its latest update Monday. “Fortunately, so far, no toxic or dangerous substances have been found in any of the students transferred to medical centers.”

The most recent incident involved forty female students in the tense city of Zahedan in the southeast, as reported by the ISNA news agency.

Monday, the White House demanded that the poisonings be the subject of a "credible independent investigation."

In Iran's Shiite clerical capital of Qom, the first cases were reported at the end of November, a month after the Amini protests, which later spread to universities and schools.

According to the judiciary's Mizan Online website, on Tuesday, Tehran prosecutor Ali Salehi issued a warning to "those who spread lies and rumors" regarding the poisonings that "they will be dealt with decisively and legally."