The mysterious spread of poisonings across Iran over the past few months has left many in the country in shock. Hundreds of schoolgirls have been hospitalized, and the government is struggling to identify the perpetrators. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has now declared the attacks an “unforgivable crime” and called for those responsible to be harshly punished.
The attacks began in November in the Shi’ite holy city of Qom and have since spread to 25 other provinces in Iran. The poisoning of schoolgirls has sparked outrage among many Iranians, with parents taking their children out of school and protests against the government.
Officials have suggested that the attacks may be the work of religious groups opposed to girls’ education, though no definitive answer has been found. The Iranian government has been criticized for its slow response to the incidents and its lack of transparency. Iranian media has reported that authorities are investigating the incidents, but it remains unclear what progress has been made.
It is imperative that those responsible for these attacks are brought to justice. Poisoning anyone – but especially schoolgirls – is an abhorrent crime that should never be tolerated. It is clear that Iran must take swift and decisive action to protect its children from such attacks and to ensure that justice is served.