On a recent Wednesday, hundreds of pupils across 13 schools were hospitalized after experiencing poisoning symptoms. Iran is currently facing a troubling wave of incidents affecting women’s education centers nationwide, with authorities describing a pattern that has unsettled families and communities alike.
Injured students were admitted to hospitals with signs such as eye irritation, dizziness, and headaches. Shargh, a reformist newspaper, reported that eight colleges and institutes in Ardabil, three in Tehran, and others in Parand and Kermanshah were affected. Since November, the country has recorded at least 30 gas poisonings linked to women’s training centers, according to official tallies cited by local outlets.
Officials noted that most affected students were hospitalized for observation and treatment. Authorities described the odor as a gas similar to other poisoning cases observed in different facilities. Ali Mohammadian Erdi, head of Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, told Shargh that the students smelled a scent reminiscent of a mixture of rotten orange and household cleaners, a pattern consistent with earlier incidents.
In Tehran, three additional cases emerged in girls’ schools where students displayed symptoms akin to those in earlier outbreaks, resulting in hospitalizations. Public concern has grown as parents question the effectiveness of measures to halt these attacks and safeguard the education of their children. A number of parents gathered outside a Tehran school, voicing their frustration as videos circulated showing tense exchanges with staff and security personnel. The footage captured a community anxious about the safety of its schools and the future of girls’ education, with calls for accountability echoing across social networks.
Intentional attacks or accidents
Security forces are still pursuing leads and have yet to determine whether the incidents are deliberate assaults or accidental exposures. Iranian police chief Ahmed Reza Radan stated that substantial efforts are underway to identify the source of the poisonings and emphasized that no suspects had been arrested at the time of his remarks, and he cautioned against prematurely labeling the events as intentional. This stance contrasts with comments from other top officials who suggested that some cases could be deliberate attempts to close girls’ schools.
The first reported case occurred in Qom, a city with a notably high concentration of incidents, and the number of cases has risen in several cities across the country in recent weeks. Iran has experienced a broader climate of tension surrounding women’s rights and education in recent months, including protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, whose passing after a hijab arrest sparked widespread demonstrations. Those protests, which featured a feminist component with many participants challenging compulsory dress codes, waned after a harsh crackdown, leaving the current wave of school-focused incidents as a new and alarming chapter in the country’s social landscape.
As families and educators weigh the implications, questions persist about safety protocols, emergency response readiness, and the long-term impact on female students. Officials have pledged to intensify investigations, while communities continue to advocate for transparent updates and robust protective measures to ensure that schools remain spaces for learning and growth rather than arenas of fear.