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Iranian Govt Blames Protest Leaders for 'Poisoning Attacks'

Hundreds of cases of respiratory distress have been reported in the past three months among schoolgirls across Iran (AFP)
Hundreds of cases of respiratory distress have been reported in the past three months among schoolgirls across Iran (AFP)
    London, Tehran - Asharq Al-Awsat
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Iranian Govt Blames Protest Leaders for 'Poisoning Attacks'

Hundreds of cases of respiratory distress have been reported in the past three months among schoolgirls across Iran (AFP)
Hundreds of cases of respiratory distress have been reported in the past three months among schoolgirls across Iran (AFP)

The Iranian government accused the protest leaders of the mystery poisoning incidents in schools, affecting thousands of female students.

Iranian Government Spokesman Ali Bahadori Jahromi blamed the protesters for creating tensions in girls' schools and a tense atmosphere, but they failed.

Asked about the investigation of the follow-up committee ordered by the Iranian president, the spokesman said that the situation has stabilized in schools, adding that these brutal attacks revealed the truth about some people who claim to support and develop women.

Judiciary Spokesman Masoud Setayeshi criticized the description of the attacks as "poisoning," saying it was better to use a term that describes the deterioration in health. He indicated that poisoning must have determined symptoms identified by the specialized laboratories.

Setayeshi said that the authorities arrested eight people in the southern Fars governorate in connection with the attacks that began at the end of November.

He added that the investigation results would be announced, asserting that those who threaten the security of the people will face the most severe penalties.

Meanwhile, senior officials used the word "poisoning," including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, when referring to the incidents.

Khamenei said on Monday that poisoning schoolgirls are an "unforgivable" crime that should be punished by death if deliberate.

Iranian official sources said that the mysterious cases of poisoning in the country amounted to 13,000 suspected cases, including 100 young schoolgirls, who are now receiving treatment in hospitals, according to Tasnim news agency affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Last Saturday, the Human Rights Committee of the Iranian judiciary said in a report that less than 10 percent of the female students were infected with an irritant of dangerous and non-lethal war gases.

Furthermore, a member of the parliamentary fact-finding committee, Mohammed Hasan Asafari, said that the main culprits in the case had not been arrested, noting that some of the poisonings were due to the use of "naphthalene" and "aluminum phosphide.",

Asafari that some cases were due to the students' attempts to disrupt the school day, noting that 100 persons have been arrested, including students.

He told the state-run ISNA news agency that some detainees were linked to the recent protests that rocked the country after the death of a young Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini, while in the custody of morality police.

The lawmaker said that the involvement of the foreign intelligence services is still not apparent, and the matter is under investigation.

Asfari confirmed the attacks dropped after the Supreme Leader's speech last week.

On Monday, the Interior Ministry said that more than 100 people involved in the recent school incidents had been identified, arrested, and under investigation.

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World

ISIS Group Militants Clash with Police During Raid in Türkiye, Wounding 7 Officers

Smoke rises in the background as police block a road leading to a site where Turkish police launched an operation on a house believed to contain suspected ISIS militants, and where, according to state media, seven officers were wounded in a clash, in Yalova province, Türkiye, December 29, 2025. (Reuters)
Smoke rises in the background as police block a road leading to a site where Turkish police launched an operation on a house believed to contain suspected ISIS militants, and where, according to state media, seven officers were wounded in a clash, in Yalova province, Türkiye, December 29, 2025. (Reuters)
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ISIS Group Militants Clash with Police During Raid in Türkiye, Wounding 7 Officers

Smoke rises in the background as police block a road leading to a site where Turkish police launched an operation on a house believed to contain suspected ISIS militants, and where, according to state media, seven officers were wounded in a clash, in Yalova province, Türkiye, December 29, 2025. (Reuters)
Smoke rises in the background as police block a road leading to a site where Turkish police launched an operation on a house believed to contain suspected ISIS militants, and where, according to state media, seven officers were wounded in a clash, in Yalova province, Türkiye, December 29, 2025. (Reuters)

Militants of the ISIS group opened fire on police and wounded seven officers during a raid on the group in northwest Türkiye on Monday, the country's state-run media reported.

The clash broke out in Elmali district in Yalova province, south of Istanbul, as police stormed a house where the militants were hiding, Anadolu Agency said.

Special forces from neighboring Bursa province were dispatched to reinforce the operation.

As the confrontation spread into the streets, five schools in the area were closed for the day, private news channel NTV reported. Authorities also cut off natural gas and electricity supplies as a precaution while civilians and vehicles were barred from entering the neighborhood.

Anadolu said none of the wounded officers were in serious condition.

Last week, police launched scores of simultaneous raids, detaining 115 militants of the extremist group who were allegedly planning attacks targeting Christmas and New Year’s celebrations.

Officials said the group had called for action during the celebrations.

World

China Opposes Recognition of Somaliland, Affirms Support for Somalia

A man holds a flag of Somaliland in front of the Hargeisa War Memorial monument in Hargeisa on November 7, 2024. (AFP)
A man holds a flag of Somaliland in front of the Hargeisa War Memorial monument in Hargeisa on November 7, 2024. (AFP)
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China Opposes Recognition of Somaliland, Affirms Support for Somalia

A man holds a flag of Somaliland in front of the Hargeisa War Memorial monument in Hargeisa on November 7, 2024. (AFP)
A man holds a flag of Somaliland in front of the Hargeisa War Memorial monument in Hargeisa on November 7, 2024. (AFP)

China opposes any attempt to split territories ​in Somalia, the foreign ministry said on Monday, affirming Chinese support for the sovereignty, unity and territorial ‌integrity of ‌the East ‌African ⁠country.

"No ​country ‌should encourage or support other countries' internal separatist forces for its own selfish interests," ministry spokesperson ⁠Lin Jian told reporters ‌at a ‍regular ‍press conference, urging authorities ‍in Somaliland to stop "separatist activities and collusion with external forces".

Israel drew international condemnation when it became ​the first country on Friday to formally recognize ⁠the self-declared Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, seeking immediate cooperation with Somaliland in agriculture, health, technology and the economy.

World

China Launches Military Drills Simulating Blockade of Taiwan Ports

A Taiwan Air Force Mirage 2000 fighter jet takes off at Hsinchu Air Base in Hsinchu on December 29, 2025. (AFP)
A Taiwan Air Force Mirage 2000 fighter jet takes off at Hsinchu Air Base in Hsinchu on December 29, 2025. (AFP)
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China Launches Military Drills Simulating Blockade of Taiwan Ports

A Taiwan Air Force Mirage 2000 fighter jet takes off at Hsinchu Air Base in Hsinchu on December 29, 2025. (AFP)
A Taiwan Air Force Mirage 2000 fighter jet takes off at Hsinchu Air Base in Hsinchu on December 29, 2025. (AFP)

China launched live-fire drills around Taiwan on Monday that it said would simulate a blockade of the self-ruled island's key ports, prompting Taipei to condemn Beijing's "military intimidation".

Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory and has refused to rule out using military action to seize the island democracy.

The latest show of force follows a bumper round of arms sales to Taipei by the United States, Taiwan's main security backer.

Beijing warned on Monday that "external forces" arming Taipei would "push the Taiwan Strait into a perilous situation of imminent war", but did not mention any countries by name.

Any attempts to stop China's unification with Taiwan were "doomed to fail", foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.

China said earlier it was conducting "live-fire training on maritime targets to the north and southwest of Taiwan" in large-scale exercises involving destroyers, frigates, fighters, bombers and drones.

A military spokesman said Beijing would send army, navy, air force and rocket force troops for "major military drills" code-named "Justice Mission 2025".

The activities will focus on "sea-air combat readiness patrol, joint seizure of comprehensive superiority, blockade on key ports and areas, as well as all-dimensional deterrence outside the island chain", said Senior Colonel Shi Yi of the People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command.

Chinese authorities also published a map of five large zones around Taiwan where further live-fire activities would take place from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm (0000 to 1000 GMT) on Tuesday.

"For the sake of safety, any irrelevant vessel or aircraft is advised not to enter the afore-mentioned waters and airspace," the statement said.

- 'Rapid response' -

Taiwan condemned China's "disregard for international norms and the use of military intimidation to threaten neighboring countries", Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo said.

Taipei said Monday it had detected four Chinese coastguard ships sailing off its northern and eastern coasts.

Its coastguard said it "immediately deployed large vessels to pre-position responses in relevant areas" and "sent additional support units".

Taiwan's military said it had established a response center, deployed "appropriate forces" and "carried out a rapid response exercise".

The drills by China's ruling Communist Party "further confirm its nature as an aggressor, making it the greatest destroyer of peace", Taipei's defense ministry said.

- 'Stern warning' -

Shi, the Chinese military spokesman, said the drills were "a stern warning against 'Taiwan Independence' separatist forces, and... a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China's sovereignty and national unity".

Beijing's military released a poster about the drills showing "arrows of justice" -- one engulfed in flames -- raining down on what appeared to be green worms on a geographical outline of Taiwan.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that a core theme of the exercises was a "blockade" of key Taiwanese ports including Keelung in the north and Kaohsiung in the south.

China's military last held large-scale drills involving live firing around Taiwan in April -- surprise maneuvers condemned by Taipei.

China said this month it would take "resolute and forceful measures" to safeguard its territory after Taiwan said the United States had approved a major $11 billion arms sale.

Beijing announced fresh sanctions on 20 American defense companies last week, though they appeared to have little or no business in China.

Last month, Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi triggered a backlash from Beijing when she said the use of force against Taiwan could warrant a military response from Tokyo.