Recent Cases of 'Serial Poisonings': Attacks on Schools in Tehran, Kermanshah, Saqqez, and Harsin

In the latest cases of serial poisonings of schoolgirls in Iran, on Tuesday, April 30, schools in the cities of Tehran, Kermanshah, Saqqez, and Harsin were targeted. According to reports published on social media, there was a 'chemical attack' on schoolgirls at Afaf High School in Tehran. The Hengaw Human Rights Organization also reported a 'chemical attack' on the Ja'fari Girls' High School in Kermanshah, adding that at least 40 students were transferred to Mohammad Kermanshahi Hospital, with several in critical condition. In Saqqez, the schools Bint al-Huda and Meraaj were targeted by 'chemical attacks,' and several students were taken to medical centers. In another incident, special forces were seen storming the Meraaj Girls' High School in Saqqez, injuring one student due to a blow from security forces. The Kurdistan Human Rights Network also published a report of special forces in front of the 'Meraaj' Girls' High School in the 'Shanaz' neighborhood of Saqqez. According to Hengaw, Fatemeh School in Harsin County, Kermanshah Province, was also 'targeted by a chemical attack,' and due to a lack of facilities, an ambulance was dispatched from Bistoon to this city. Hengaw added that 'school officials prohibited parents from entering and blocked the main door.' With the increase in poisoning cases in Iranian schools, the Ministry of Interior threatened those who inform the media with judicial action. The newspaper 'Ham-Mihan' reported on March 4 that medical staff were prohibited from informing about the poisonings. The report stated that they were reluctant to speak on the matter and were concerned about the consequences of informing and possible repercussions from hospital managers. This report also emphasized that contrary to the Health Minister's statements attributing the poisonings to 'a mild toxin,' reports from hospitals indicated that the poisonings were not 'so mild.' Except for a few boys' schools, most poisonings have occurred in girls' schools, primarily public ones, targeting mainly middle and high school levels. The Ministry of Intelligence, in its report, linked 'mass panic' to the short average duration of patients' visits to clinics, with 'a small number' hospitalized due to anxiety and 'a handful' of school staff involved. Researchers, human rights groups, and several countries have emphasized that 'independent investigations' are necessary to find the cause of the poisonings, and conducting such investigations requires 'access to health data that is often under security protection in Iran.'