Iran denies poisoning of schoolgirls, blames foreign ‘enemies’ for fomenting fear
Iran`s intelligence ministry on Friday accused overseas “enemies” and dissidents of fomenting fears over suspected poisonings of schoolgirls, pronouncing its research observed no real poisoning.
The wave of suspected assaults has affected hundreds of schoolgirls and provoked public anger, after months of protests towards Iran’s clerical rulers following the demise of a younger female held through police for allegedly flouting strict hijab rules.
“The enemies’ position in fuelling this disaster is positive and undeniable. Individuals, businesses and Western media (specifically in Persian language)… have targeted in this withinside the beyond few months, in addition to overseas politicians and global bodies,” stated a ministry record carried through country media.
“In discipline findings and laboratory investigations … no poisonous substance capable of purpose poisoning turned into observed … and there had been no deaths or long-time period bodily conditions,” the record stated, blaming mischievousness and mass hysteria amongst students.
The record accused unnamed dissidents of scary fears to provide propaganda movies and warned of “prosecution of individuals, businesses, media who accused the government … and aligned themselves with enemies”.
Authorities have accused the Islamic Republic’s “enemies” of the use of the suspected assaults to undermine the clerical establishment. But suspicions have fallen on hardline businesses running as self-declared guardians in their interpretation of Islam.
The suspected poisonings commenced in November withinside the holy Shi’ite Muslim town of Qom and unfold to twenty-eight of Iran’s 31 provinces, in keeping with activist HRANA information agency, prompting a few dad and mom to take youngsters out of faculty and protest.
For the primary time because the Islamic Revolution in 1979, schoolgirls have joined the protests that spiralled after Mahsa Amini’s demise in morality police custody.
