GUWAHATI: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has dubbed the series of suspected poisonings of schoolgirls in recent months an “unforgivable crime”.
He warned that if there are any people involved in the matter, and there certainly are… the perpetrators must be given the most severe of punishments.
More than 1,000 girls at dozens of schools have been affected by unexplained illnesses since November.
Incidents were reported in at least 15 cities and towns on Sunday alone.
Authorities have released very little information about their investigations and announced no arrests, but they have accused Iran’s ‘enemies’ of using the suspected poisonings to undermine the clerical establishment.
Some Iranians believe the girls’ schools are being targeted by hard-line elements to stop them receiving education.
Others suggest the authorities may be punishing girls for their leading role in the nationwide anti-government protests that erupted in September.
The first known case was reported at a school in the Shia holy city of Qom on 30 November, when 18 schoolgirls fell ill and were taken to hospital.
Since then, a total of 127 schools in 25 of Iran’s 31 provinces have been affected.
Students have said they smelled tangerine or rotten fish before falling ill. Many have suffered respiratory problems, nausea, dizziness and fatigue.
Ayatollah Khamenei In his first public comments on the matter called on law enforcement and intelligence agencies to ‘seriously pursue the issue’.
“The poisonings are a grave and unforgivable crime,” he declared during a speech at a tree planting event in Tehran, adding that there would be ‘no pardons’ if anyone was identified as a perpetrator and convicted.