Iran arrests more than 100 people over suspected poisonings of schoolgirls

Tehran: The Iranian authorities have arrested more than 100 people in connection with the suspected poisoning of Iranian school girls.

Initial inquiries reveals that a number of these people, out of mischief or adventurism and with the aim of shutting down classrooms and influenced by the created psychological atmosphere, have taken measures such as using harmless and smelly substances.

Iran has seen a wave of suspected poisonings, carried out almost entirely at girls' schools, in recent months.

Both the United States and United Nations had called on



Iranian authorities to fully investigate the suspected poisonings and hold those responsible to account.

While Iranian politicians have suggested the girls could have been targeted by hardline Islamist groups, activists believe that the poisonings may be linked to the nationwide protests that erupted last September over the death of Mahsa Amini.

Many schoolgirls have been active in the protests, removing their mandatory headscarves in classrooms, tearing up pictures of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and calling for his death.