TEHRAN: Younes Paahi, the deputy health minister in Iran made a shocking revelation that the schoolgirls were poisoned with the aim of shutting down education for girls. The incident was reported in Qom, south of Tehran. The minister revealed that respiratory poisoning has been reported among schoolgirls here since November and many have sought treatment at the hospital.

“Such incidents were reported in girls’ schools. Some people want to close all such schools and the poisoning had been deliberate attempts.”, he added. The minister did not reveal much details. No one has been arrested so far in the issue.

The parents of the students protested on 14th of this month demanding a detailed investigation into the poisoning incident. Following this, the government spokesperson Ali Bahadori Jahromi stated that the intelligence and education departments are conducting an investigation. Attorney General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri ordered a judicial inquiry last week.

The poisonings come as Iran has been rocked by protests since the December 16 death in custody of 22-year-old Iranian Kurd Mahsa Amini for an alleged violation of country's strict dress code for women.