The issue of the poisoning of schoolgirls that shook Iran several weeks ago has returned to the fore - today, Tuesday - near Tehran, as dozens of schoolgirls were poisoned again in a series of attacks attributed to individuals opposing girls' education.

The Iranian Minister of Health said that hundreds of Iranian girls in different schools had been subjected to "mild poisoning" attacks over the past few months.

And state media reported that poison attacks took place in more than 30 schools in at least 4 cities, and began last November in Qom, prompting some parents to remove their daughters from schools.

And according to posts on social media, some of the students who were taken to the hospital said that they felt nauseous and had a rapid heartbeat.

"Investigating the source of this mild poison and whether it was an intentional move is not within the competence of my ministry," state media quoted Health Minister Bahram Ainullah as saying.

"It turns out that some people want to close schools, especially girls' schools," his deputy, Yunus Panahi, was quoted as saying by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on Sunday.

And state media reported that a school for boys was targeted in the city of Borujerd, while the official news agency quoted MP Ali Reza Munadi as saying that the "devilish will" to prevent girls from going to school constitutes a "serious threat."

Iranian students celebrate the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran (Reuters)

investigation

And in 2014, people took to the streets of Isfahan after a wave of acid attacks, apparently aimed at terrorizing women who flouted the country's dress code.

"If the identities of the perpetrators of the acid attacks had been identified and punished at that time, a group of reactionaries would not have dared attack our innocent girls in schools," reformist politician Ather Al-Mansoori wrote on Twitter.

Many senior clerics, lawmakers and politicians criticized the government for not stopping the poison attacks and for giving contradictory reasons for them, with some warning that widespread frustration among families could spark further protests.

"Officials make contradictory statements, one says it was deliberate, another says it is related to security, and a third official blames the heating systems in schools," state media quoted the cleric, Tabatabai al-Boroujerdi, as saying.

"Such statements increase people's mistrust (in the institution)," he added.

The authorities announced an investigation into the origin of the poisoning, but have not yet announced the arrest of anyone.

In light of these fears, the national police commander, Ahmad Reza Radan, announced - today, Tuesday - that his services are "in the process of identifying potential suspects," stressing that "all state agencies are trying to dispel the residents' fears," according to Tasnim Agency.

Fars also announced the holding of an "emergency meeting" in parliament to investigate the issue with the participation of the ministers of education, intelligence and health.