Hundreds of cultural workers in Iran have called for clarification after the recent wave of poisoning at girls' schools. As the daily newspaper "Shargh" reported on Sunday, 500 celebrities signed a corresponding appeal. Hundreds of female and male students have been poisoned in the past three months for reasons that have not yet been clarified. Parents demonstrated over the weekend demanding explanations, anger mounting against Iran's leadership.

"The deliberate mass attacks on girls' schools in the country are a new catastrophe with no other purpose than to create terror and increase the costs of girls' natural rights in society," Iranian media quoted as saying from the appeal. "We condemn this tragedy and call for the arrest and punishment of the perpetrators."

New cases

As in the past few days, new cases of suspected poisoning were reported on Sunday. Among other things, a student residence in the north-western city of Urmia and a school in the city of Tabris were affected.

For months, Iran's government has been under pressure alongside the country's clerical leadership. The women's protests last fall plunged the political leadership into the worst crisis in decades, and the difficult economic situation is also a source of great concern for many.

The first suspected cases of gas poisoning were reported at the end of November, when the protests in Iran were in full swing. The background is largely unclear. Students complain of dizziness, nausea and shortness of breath.