Iran Denies Incidents of Poisoning in Schools

On Friday, the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence accused foreigners and opponents of stoking fears regarding suspected poisonings of schoolgirls, stating, "Its investigation did not reveal any actual poisoning." The ministry said, "The role of enemies in fueling this crisis is confirmed and cannot be denied. Individuals, groups, and Western media... have focused on this in recent months, as well as foreign politicians and international bodies." The report indicated that "field results and laboratory investigations... did not detect any toxic substance capable of causing (instances of) poisoning... and there were no fatalities or long-term physical illnesses." The report accused opponents of raising fears to produce propaganda videos and warned that "individuals, groups, and media that accuse the government... and side with the enemies will be pursued."