Dust Storms Force School Closures in Khuzestan Province

Due to the increase in dust storms and air pollution in Khuzestan Province, all schools in the province have been announced closed on Sunday, October 2nd. The Iranian Minister of Health has also warned about respiratory problems in Ahvaz during the autumn season. The Crisis Management Organization of Khuzestan Province stated that the situation poses a danger to the health of students, leading to the decision to close all schools. However, universities and government offices will continue their activities on Sunday. Government offices and banks in Khuzestan Province operated until 1 PM on Saturday. The Tasnim news agency reports that dust storms originating from Iraq have raised air pollution levels in Khuzestan and some southern and western areas to 17 times the permissible limit. On October 1st, Hassan Hashemi, the Iranian Minister of Health, referred to respiratory issues faced by residents of Ahvaz following autumn rains at the beginning of October, stating, 'We cannot say that this will not happen again with the onset of autumn rains.' The issue of dust, air pollution, and dust storms is not new in the western and eastern provinces of Iran, and this problem has repeatedly led to school closures and sometimes the shutdown of government offices and organizations. Almost all provinces in Iran are exposed to pollution caused by dust storms. Masoumeh Ebtekar, head of the Department of Environment, previously announced that 23 provinces in Iran face issues related to dust storms in different seasons. According to Iranian officials, these dust storms mainly originate from Iraq, while Jordan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia are also involved in their transfer to Iran. The drying up of lakes and water sources is another reason for the increase in the dust storm area. In recent years, several wetlands, rivers, and lakes in Iran have either dried up or are at risk of drying up. Water scarcity and drought also threaten many regions of Iran. In this context, Ebtekar stated that combating dust storms with the current budget would take 30 years. Air pollution in ten provinces has reached several times the permissible limit, and villages within a 50-kilometer radius of Lake Salt Qom are being destroyed.