Tehran's Air Pollution Increases to 'Three Times Safe Levels'; Elementary Schools Closed

Kindergartens, preschools, and elementary schools in Tehran were closed on Tuesday, November 15, due to air pollution affecting the city and all counties in the province except Damavand, Firuzkuh, and Pardis. Meanwhile, according to the state news agency IRNA, based on the resolution of the 'Tehran Air Pollution Emergency Committee,' this closure has been extended for Wednesday as well. Only vehicles with traffic permit can enter the restricted area on Tuesday, and the implementation time of this plan has been increased from 5 PM to 7 PM. In this regard, Hassan Abadi, deputy head of Tehran's traffic police, stated that these restrictions will remain in effect until further notice. The Tehran Air Pollution Emergency Committee also approved measures on Saturday to reduce air pollution, including halting the activities of sand and gravel mines until the air quality normalizes and canceling physical education classes in schools and public sports activities in parks and sports complexes in Tehran. According to AFP, the 'PM2.5' particle index in Tehran reached 156 on Tuesday, which is three times the safety level set by the World Health Organization. Based on the 'Health Significance Level of Air Quality Index,' the concentration of airborne particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 microns is categorized as 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' (orange) in the range of 101 to 150 and 'unhealthy' (red) in the range of 151 to 200. The air quality in Tehran and several major cities in Iran also reached 'red' status on some days last winter, leading to the implementation of a traffic restriction plan and the closure of kindergartens, preschools, and elementary schools in Tehran and other cities such as Isfahan, Tabriz, Arak, and Karaj multiple times. Mohammad Rostegari, deputy for monitoring and environmental oversight in Tehran province, announced that the air quality is unhealthy for all groups, stating that the PM2.5 index in Rey County reached 200, indicating the highest pollution level among stations in the Iranian capital. Regarding the possibility of school closures on Wednesday, he said, 'Currently, we cannot comment on this issue and need to review the data from air quality monitoring stations.' Meanwhile, Hassan Abbasi, spokesman for Tehran's emergency services, reported the deployment of four ambulances and 22 motorcycle ambulances across the city in response to the worsening air pollution. He noted that emergency personnel are on standby. Reports indicate that the issue of air pollution in Iran's capital has also been raised in the Islamic Consultative Assembly. According to the House of Nation news agency, Mohammad Dehghan, a representative from Chenaran, pointed out that mortality rates increase by 20% during severe air pollution, questioning the government: 'Why has it allowed the air pollution situation to reach a warning and emergency level, while forecasts have been made regarding this issue for the past 15 days, and it has also been announced that this year rainfall will be 25% less than last year?' He also called for a halt to the activities of vehicles and some factories that are sources of air pollution. Mohammad Javad Fathi, a representative from Tehran, reported on Tuesday that representatives from Tehran province are collecting signatures for a letter to the president to address the air pollution problem in Tehran and metropolitan areas, stating, 'We are currently gathering signatures, and once completed, this letter will be submitted to the president.'