Iran accuses school poisoning suspects of links to foreign media, riots -state media

FILE PHOTO: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks in Tehran, Iran February 8, 2023. Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran arrested several people it said were linked to a wave of school poisonings and accused some of connections to "foreign-based dissident media" and recent riots, according to an Interior Ministry statement shared by state media on Tuesday.

Over 1,000 girls have fallen ill after being poisoned since November, according to state media and officials, with some politicians blaming religious groups opposed to girls' education.