Chemical Attacks, Revolution

Iranian School Holocaust

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Regrettably, the world was shaken on March 1st, 4th, 5th, 6h, and 7th 2023, as the Islamic Republic of Iran reportedly carried out a heinous series of chemical attacks targeting no less than 450 schools in more than 29 provinces. The scale of this devastating assault is truly chilling, with a staggering 90% of the affected schools being those that educate young girls. The ramifications of such a reprehensible act are yet to be fully comprehended, and the global community is left to grapple with the sinister implications of this cowardly and inhumane assault.

A girl student holding a paper which “Till the last breath; Women, Life, Freedom” is written on it

The harrowing video captures the heart-wrenching cries of a young girl desperately gasping for air, repeatedly uttering the haunting words, “I can not breathe, I can not breathe…”:

Scale of the attacks

The past few weeks have been an unmitigated nightmare for students across Iran, with a particular emphasis on the young girls of the nation. The scourge of chemical gas attacks has descended upon countless schools throughout the country, with the horrifying results being the poisoning of innocent students. The true magnitude of these atrocities was unleashed upon the nation on March 1st, 4th, and 5th, 2023, as over 450 schools in more than 29 provinces were relentlessly attacked, leaving a staggering 5000 students hospitalized. The scale of this depravity is simply unimaginable, and its devastating impact is felt across the nation. Even more alarmingly, the distribution of these attacks is vividly depicted in a map, revealing the deeply unsettling scope of this humanitarian crisis.

Distribution of the attacks plotted on the Iran’s map

The brazen and large-scale nature of the attacks on Iranian schools is deeply concerning. The fact that the vast majority of these attacks occurred on the same day across multiple provinces of the country is alarming, to say the least. Given that Iran is an immense country, it is all the more troubling to consider the magnitude of such a coordinated effort. The sheer impossibility of small military organizations to orchestrate such a widespread and devastating assault across Iran underscores the ominous and sinister implications of these attacks. The ramifications of this crisis cannot be overstated, and it is essential that the global community unites in response to this heinous act of violence.

Government forces prevented journalists from accessing security cameras

The disturbing reports emerging from Iran suggest that the authorities, predominantly comprising IRGC forces, have actively prevented journalists from accessing security camera footage of the attacked schools and surrounding areas. Equally alarming are the claims made by school officials, asserting that there is no evidence of any attacker captured on the video tapes of the security cameras. The confluence of these two reports reinforces the chilling theory that this chemical gas was dispersed using drones, with the chemicals potentially contained within a bomb. This harrowing prospect underscores the unprecedented and unprecedentedly horrific nature of these attacks, as well as the crucial need for the international community to stand in solidarity against such atrocities. The suppression of evidence only adds to the gravity of this situation and necessitates an urgent and unyielding pursuit of the truth.

The chemicals used in the attacks is are not accessible for normal people

In a recent interview with Hamamihan newspaper, Mohammadreza Hashemian, an expert in the special care department of “Masih Deneshvari” hospital in Tehran, emphasized the gravity of the situation and stated that it is impossible for ordinary individuals to obtain access to the chemical gases that were utilized to poison innocent students. This assertion only serves to heighten the deeply unsettling nature of these attacks, as it reinforces the likelihood that they were carried out by a sophisticated and well-resourced actor, the IRGC.

Beating of poisoned students and their parents by government forces instead of protecting students

The situation in Iran has taken an alarming turn, with reports emerging of brutal suppression of protestors by the IRGC and Basiji forces. These forces have reportedly resorted to violent measures, including beating, arresting, and even kidnapping the students and their parents who were demonstrating against the chemical attacks on schools. Shockingly, the IRGC forces have even contacted some of the students who were chemically attacked and issued ultimatums via social media, ordering them to report to the Morals and Security Police within a day.

No schools were closed, not even the ones that were attacked twice

The callous disregard for the welfare of students in Iran is both shocking and deeply concerning. Despite the fact that at least two schools were attacked twice, no action was taken to close them and protect the students. Moreover, despite the widespread nature of these attacks, which resulted in the poisoning of over 2000 students, government officials have astonishingly downplayed the gravity of the situation, stating that the poisoning is not a significant concern and is primarily due to hysteria.

The claims made by Iranian officials regarding the source of the attacks on schools are both perplexing and deeply concerning. The suggestion that the attacks were carried out by an “Enemy” raises the question of who this supposed enemy could be and how they could coordinate such a widespread and coordinated campaign of violence. The lack of clarity and transparency regarding the origin of these attacks only serves to exacerbate the fear and anxiety felt by Iranian citizens, who are rightly demanding answers and accountability from their government.

Furthermore, the suggestion by a member of the IR parliament that these attacks could have been orchestrated by school teachers is not only unfounded but also serves to deflect blame away from those who are truly responsible. Such baseless and inflammatory statements only contribute to the erosion of trust in the government and further fuel the sense of outrage and frustration felt by Iranians across the country.

The various and contradictory claims made by Iranian officials regarding the cause of the attacks on schools are not only confusing but also deeply troubling. The suggestion that these attacks were orchestrated by the United Kingdom is unfounded and lacks any evidence. Furthermore, the idea that the antics of students could have led to such widespread poisoning is both absurd and offensive, particularly given the seriousness of the situation.

Khameneie’s speech about punishing teenager protestors

Ali Khamenei has stated in one of his speeches on Oct 3rd that the teenager who are protesting on the streets and schools should be punished.

Some school officials prevented students from leaving after the chemical attack

In some of the schools, school administrators prohibited students from leaving the premises and withheld their right to contact their parents.

Additionally, some students have observed plainclothes agents in their schools.

As depicted in the subsequent video footage, school officials are employing physical violence to impede students from exiting the premises.

Status of the poisoned students

The majority of the students who were exposed to the harmful chemicals have been hospitalized and are presently in a precarious state. According to DrKayvanMirhadi, as articulated in the following video, the students are currently exhibiting short-term symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, altered sensorium, and weakness in the lower extremities, and may develop long-term health complications, including a heightened risk of cancer and infertility.

Additional footage of the affected students has surfaced, highlighting their critical condition and struggles with respiratory problems

Conclusion

These unprecedented attacks on Iranian schools and dormitories raise serious concerns about the safety and well-being of Iranian students. It is highly unlikely that non-governmental organizations could have planned and executed attacks in more than 120 schools and dormitories across the country. Evidence points to the involvement of the Islamic Republic in these attacks, including:

  • the presence of government agents and Basiji forces at the scene of the attacks,
  • The use of inaccessible chemicals, the threat of violence against school officials and students who close or leave the school,
  • The banning of journalists from accessing security camera footage
  • The arrest and beating of protesting poisoned students and their parents.

There are four potential motives for these attacks:

  • To spread fear and prevent further protests
  • To send a message to the West that hard-line Islamist groups in Iran will act even if the current regime is toppled
  • To exact revenge on school girls for their participation in the Mahsa Amini protests
  • To shift the focus of people’s demands from freedom to the safety of their children and the right to education for girls.

Whatever the motive may be, these attacks on innocent students are unacceptable and must be condemned by the international community.

References

I have obtained list of the schools and most of the evidence from 1500Tasvir media.

Heroes of Iran, Open Source

Sarina

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The murder of Sarina Esmailzadeh during the Mahsa Amini protests at the hands of IRGC forces continues to weigh on my mind. Sarina was a bright, brave, and beautiful teenager with big dreams that were tragically cut short by the Islamic Republic. To preserve her memory, I created an app as a personal tribute to her.

You can see this app on my Github account.