Poisonings of schoolgirls continue in Tehran and other cities

Monday 10 April marked 207 days since the nationwide uprising in Iran and criminal poisonings of schoolgirls in schools across the country are reported to have continued. Female students from several schools in Tehran, Karadj, Orumieh, Sanandaj and Khoy were reportedly affected and some were hospitalised. 

On Monday, 10 April, vendors and traders in Saqqez bazaars went on strike in protest against the chemical attacks on girls' schools on Sunday. At least six schools were reportedly attacked with poison gas. 

Also on 10 April 2023, according to the government news agency Mehr, Majid Mir Ahmadi, Deputy Minister of Interior Security and Public Order, stated bluntly: "The few cases that occurred in the new year, which were very limited, were due to the malice of some students who wanted to close classes and schools. One or two cases of students using pepper spray have been detected and will certainly be punished". 

The government newspaper Etelaat yesterday published an article stating: "It seems that there are powerful forces behind these acts of conspiracy and spoiling, which will not allow the secrets of this heinous act to be revealed and this horrible plot to be dismantled. The illogical and unacceptable justifications put forward by some parliamentarians, education administrators and ministry officials have added to the confusion and complexity of the situation, and the contradictions and inconsistencies in their statements fail to convince the people (...) Some officials have repeatedly mentioned the pranks and altercations by students in the past few days, but the people are wondering why such incidents do not occur in boys' schools, where pranks and altercations are more common." 

Ms Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), praised the bravery of the people of Saqqez and Mahabad who protested against the regime's criminal poisoning of innocent girls. She praised their courageous actions in organising demonstrations and strikes and standing up to the forces of oppression, which represent the firm determination of the Iranian people to overthrow the religious dictatorship. 

In addition, nurses and medical personnel from Qazvin province rallied on Monday in front of the local governor's office in Qazvin, northwest Iran, to protest against the regime's unjust policies that delay and reduce their salaries and pensions. 

Residents from different areas of Tehran, including Sardar-e Jangal, Tehranpars and Chitgar, began chanting anti-regime slogans on Sunday night: "Down with Khamenei, down with Khomeini!