Friday, Iran’s intelligence ministry accused foreign “enemies” and dissidents of stoking fears over alleged poisonings of schoolgirls, claiming that its investigation discovered no evidence of actual poisonings.
The wave of suspected attacks has affected thousands of schoolgirls and provoked public outrage, following months of protests against Iran’s clerical rulers in response to the death of a young woman detained by police for allegedly violating stringent hijab rules.
“It is certain and undeniable that the adversaries have fueled this crisis. Individuals, groups, and Western media [especially in Persian]… as well as foreign politicians and international organizations… have focussed on this issue in recent months, according to a ministry report carried out by state media.
“In field observations and laboratory analyses… no poisonous substance capable of causing toxicity was observed… There have been no fatalities or long-term physical conditions, according to the report, which attributes the outbreak to mischief and collective hysteria among students.
The report accused unnamed dissidents of inciting fear to create propaganda videos and warned of “prosecution of individuals, groups, and media who accused the government… and allied with enemies.”
Authorities have accused “enemies” of the Islamic Republic of using the alleged assaults to destabilize the clerical establishment. However, extremist groups operating as self-proclaimed guardians of their interpretation of Islam have come under suspicion.
According to the activist news agency HRANA, the suspected poisonings began in November in the holy city of Qom and spread to 28 of Iran’s 31 provinces, prompting some parents to pull their children out of school and protest.
For the first time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, schoolgirls have joined the protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody.
