Iranian schoolgirls mass poisoning reports: Difference between revisions

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The Iranian schoolgirls mass poisoning reports are a series of alleged chemical attacks during which students in dozens of schools in Iran were reportedly poisoned in various and undetermined manners. These events started on 30 November 2022, in a girls' high school in Qom. Since that date, hundreds of students reportedly were poisoned, the majority being in girls first and second secondary schools across Iran.

It has been suggested that the affected girls may actually be suffering from mass psychogenic illness (MPI), and that this is another outbreak similar to 'poisonings' previously reported, but later identified as MPI, in both Afghanistan and the occupied West Bank.^[1][2]

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The alleged attacks started in the northern province of Qom,^[3]. After Qom, Borujerd is the city where the most chemical attacks have allegedly taken place in girls' high schools and a university dormitory.^{[citation needed]} Along with Qom and Borujerd, Tehran, the capital of Iran, has been one of the biggest targets of these alleged attacks.^{[citation needed]} More than 800 people were allegedly poisoned in schools prior to March.^{[citation needed]}

Speculation about possible perpetrators include the Iranian government, seeking revenge for the protests against compulsory hijab which intensified following to the death of Mahsa Amini,^[4][5] and hardliners who want to imitate the Afghanistan Taliban or the militant Islamist group Boko Haram in Nigeria, who tried to stop parents from sending their girls to school.^[6]

Robert Bartholomew suggested that the people affected may have been suffering from “mass psychogenic illness”. He drew a parallel between the reported poisonings in Iran and those recorded in Afghanistan from 2009-2016, as well as the 1983 West Bank fainting epidemic. In all of these cases young Islamic girls fell ill from a mystery condition that was attributed to poison gas after someone drew attention to an unusual odor. With respect to the Afghanistan case, different studies concluded that the affected girls, who were attending schools in defiance of the Taliban, were suffering from mass psychogenic illness.^[1][2]

Prof Simon Wessely, a psychiatrist and epidemiologist at King's College London, said several key epidemiological factors led him to believe these were not a chain of poisonings, but were instead a case of mass sociogenic illness, in which symptoms spread among a group with no obvious biomedical cause. Key factors in his conclusion were, the spread of cases across the country, the fact it has been predominantly affecting schoolgirls with fewer boys and adults falling ill, the nature of the symptoms, and the fact most patients quickly recovered.^[7]

Chemical weapons expert and associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, Dan Kaszeta, said that the incidents in Iran have similarities with a series of alleged poisoning cases in Afghan schools in the 2010s which remain largely unresolved.^[7] A professor of environmental toxicology at the University of Leeds, Alastair Hay, reviewed the results of blood tests from some of the Iranian schoolgirls, and said no toxins had been detected.^[7]

According to studies, outbreaks of mass psychogenic illness (MPI), which are a constellation of physical signs and symptoms suggestive of organic illness with no identifiable causes, unrealistic and exaggerated rumors and inadequate explanations about the nature and spread of the disease were the main factors contributing to the spread and prolongation of the epidemic. Organized interventions, clear and adequate explanations about the nature and transmission of the disease can stop MPI in a short time.^[8]

In February 2023, Alireza Manadi Sefidan, the head of the Education, Research and Technology Commission of the Islamic Council, announced that nitrogen gas (N₂) was detected in the poison used at some of the schools.^[9] While nitrogen gas (which makes up the majority of the atmosphere) was originally claimed by the Iranian government as the cause of the poisonings, Morteza Khatami, Vice-Chairman of the Parliament's Health and Treatment Commission, later stated in March 2023 that “(N₂) gas does not explain the symptoms and clinical manifestations, but other gases have symptoms that justify the numbness of the body.”^[10]

In early March 2023, chemical weapons expert Dan Kaszeta said it will be difficult to find reliable evidence of any type of poison used, due to toxic substances commonly degrading before any reasonable opportunity to collect a sample at the scene. Kaszeta also said that biomedical tests, such as blood and urine screening, "could indicate a type of poison used, but are complicated by a number of possible alternative culprits".^[7]

Investigations into the poisoning reports have been inconclusive.

In response to these incidents, Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, said that if it is proven that the students were poisoned, "those behind this crime should be sentenced to capital punishment and there will be no amnesty for them."^[11] Bahram Einollahi, the Minister of Health, claimed that a "mild poison" was used against female students in Iranian schools.^[12]

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi ordered that the series of incidents at some 30 schools since November be investigated. Officials have changed their stance from initially dismissing the incidents to acknowledging the scope of the crisis.^[13][14]

According to IRNA, the parliament’s speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said that both Qom and Borujerd were "dealing with student poisonings".^[15]

The deputy health minister of Iran, Younes Panahi, said the aim of the poisonings was to shut down education for girls. He was quoted as saying "After the poisoning of several students in Qom schools, it was found that some people wanted all schools, especially girls’ schools, to be closed".^[16] Panahi also said that "in around 90 percent of the cases symptoms were caused by stress and anxiety when other students fell ill or caused by media reports of the poisonings."^[15]

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In the first three months of the attacks, no solid information was uncovered about the type of poison gas that may have been used. Complaints have included nausea, vomiting, cough, shortness of breath, heart palpitations and feeling lethargic.^[10][17] Some also reported that they smelled a tangerine-like smell.^[18]

• 9 December: For the first time, a report of poisoning of 18 female students was published in Noor Girls' Conservatory, located in Qom's Yazdanshahr neighborhood. These students had felt symptoms such as shortness of breath and numbness in the muscles of the arms and legs.^[19]

• 13 December (22 Azar): The same thing happened again in the same school and this time 51 female students went to the hospital. Public Relations of Qom Education announced in an announcement that experts are investigating the cause of poisoning.^[19]

• 4 February (16 Bahman): Majid Mohebi, Vice President of Medicine of Qom University of Medical Sciences, announced the dispatch of experts from the Non-Active Defense Organization to Qom and conducting tests.^{[citation needed]}

• 5 February (17 Bahman): After symptoms of poisoning appeared simultaneously in 8 schools of Qom, Majid Mohebi announced that the presence of carbon monoxide gas has been confirmed in some schools and the search for the cause of poisoning in other schools continues. The General Administration of Education of Qom province also closed all schools in the province on Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 Bahman, "according to the opinion of experts" and "at the request of a number of parents".^{[citation needed]}

• 6 February (18 Bahman): Ahmad Amirabadi Farahani, Qom's representative in the Islamic Council, pointed out that this incident has been repeated 7 times so far, and requested to send a special delegation to Qom. Quoting the Minister of Education, he said that there is a suspicion of ammonia gas, and some have considered the presence of carbon dioxide in the heating system of schools as the cause of the poisoning, but none of them is certain.^{[citation needed]}

• 13 February (24 Bahman): In other reports, it was published that female students with symptoms of poisoning went to medical centers, but the Ministry of Education considered the cause to be "outside school" events.^{[citation needed]}

• 13 February (24 Bahman): A picture of a strange letter from Mehdi Masri, the president of Qom University of Medical Sciences, addressed to Mohsen Oroji, director of crisis management of Qom province, was published, during which Masri asked that if the incident happens again, the air of the area in question and the exhalation of the poisoned students in "Freezer nylon bags" to be sampled.^{[citation needed]}

• 15 February (26 Bahman): The Minister of Health, Bahram Ainollahi, described the poisonings as mild and announced that the source of the poisoning is not microbial or viral and there is no cause for concern. The Minister of Education also announced that there have been no casualties so far, and what has caused concern are "rumors of foreign media waves". On the same day, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Health announced that a special committee would be formed to "continually investigate the cause and condition of poisoning" of Qom students. Radio Farda, quoting an informed source, wrote that IRGC forces have a strong presence in Vali Asr hospital in Qom, where most of the patients are transferred, and they create panic and take the blood test results of the children from the hospital staff and take them with them.^{[citation needed]}

• 25 February: The media reported that at least 117 Qommi students went to the hospital. At the same time, some students' families gathered in front of the Qom governorate and demanded the transparency of the officials and the non-attendance of the schools. However, the Minister of Education announced that the reason for the fear of the people and students is rumors and there is no problem in reopening the schools. The spokesperson of the Judiciary announced the registration of 30 complaints in Qom regarding poisoning in schools.^{[citation needed]}

• 27 February: The US State Department reacted for the first time to the widespread poisoning of mostly female students in Iran. The spokesperson of the US Foreign Ministry called these attacks disgusting. He said that these attacks "must be stopped immediately" and asked the Iranian government to identify and punish the perpetrators of these poisonings as soon as possible.^[20]

• 1 March: Mohammad Jaafar Montazeri, the Attorney General of the country, announced in a letter to the Public Prosecutor and the Revolution of Qom that "the poisoning of the students of Qom indicates the possibility of intentional criminal actions".^{[citation needed]}

• 2 March: In the Ahmadiyya Girls' School in Borujard, a total of 82 people were sent to the hospital with symptoms of poisoning. The spokesperson of the Ministry of Health announced that a machine with diesel fuel was working in the vicinity of the school and its smoke poisoned the students and it has nothing to do with the incidents in Qom. Earlier, the fire brigade announced that the emission of carbon dioxide gas from the nearby sports hall was the cause of the poisoning.^[21]

• 4 March: Ahmadiyya Girls' High School in Borujerd was closed.^{[citation needed]}

• 6 March: With the reopening of the school, this incident happened again and this time 44 students of Borujerd were sent to the hospital. On the same day, 4 Qomi students were also poisoned.^{[citation needed]}

• 7 March: Younes Panahi, Deputy Minister of Health for Research and Technology and a member of the specialized scientific committee to investigate poisonings, in a press conference, while confirming that these incidents were intentional, announced that the poisoning of Qomi students was caused by compounds. Chemical warfare is not. He said that during the investigation of the committee, they came to the conclusion that the poisonings are not infectious, not viral or microbial in origin, not contagious, and the cause of those poisonings are available chemicals. The wave of poisoning of female students reached Qazvin and sent 107 students from Boroujerdi to the hospital. Citizens mention serial murders and acid attacks. Mohammad Taqi Fazel Meibdi, a teacher of the district and university, said that the act of poisoning students in girls' schools is directed from Qom and Isfahan, and it is the hand of those who believe that girls should not study. Ahmad Amirabadi Farahani, a representative In the Islamic Council of Qom, Qom called the serial poisoning of female students "suspicious and security" twice so far in a verbal warning and emphasized that the government officials did not even respond to the representatives.^{[citation needed]}

• 7 March: Khayyam Girls' High School in Phase 11 of Pardis city of Tehran was widely attacked and several videos of this attack were published on social networks.^{[citation needed]}

• 7 March: It was the most extensive day of attacks so far and more than 50 schools were attacked in just one day. became. Musa Ghazanfarabadi, the head of the legal and judicial commission of the parliament, announced a series of speculations and clues, but said that it cannot be addressed until the issue is confirmed.^{[citation needed]}

• 8 March: News of the death and burial of a girl named Fatemeh Rezaei and the possibility of its connection. It was published with poisonings, but this news was quickly denied by the government news agencies and the death of Fatemeh Rezaei was considered unrelated to these poisonings. The first group that took responsibility for these serial poisonings was a group called Fadaiyan Velayat. This group has threatened that if girls' schools are not closed, they will spread the poisoning of girls throughout Iran. "Nafisa Moradi", a PhD researcher in Quran and Hadith Sciences at Al-Zahra University, said, "Focusing these events on girls is an act similar to the views of the Afghan Taliban."^{[citation needed]}

• List of mass hysteria cases
• Mahsa Amini protests