Parents of Iranian students affected by a wave of mysterious illnesses at girls' schools across the country staged more protests on March 4 amid reports of fresh cases.
The first incident is believed to have occurred in November, when 18 schoolgirls in the city of Qom were taken to a hospital after complaining of symptoms that included nausea, headaches, coughing, breathing difficulties, heart palpitations, and numbness and pain in their hands or legs.
SEE ALSO: Iranians Take To The Streets Again, Amid Further Reports Of Mysterious IllnessesSince then, hundreds more cases have occurred and it remains unclear what may be causing the illnesses, though some of those affected have said they smelled chlorine or cleaning agents, while others said they thought they smelled tangerines in the air.
Protests by parents were staged outside education facilities in at least four areas of Tehran and in the cities of Isfahan and Ardabil, RFE/RL's Radio Farda reported on March 4.
Video footage posted on social media purported to show protesters in Tehran shouting anti-government slogans, including, "Our enemy is right here, although they say it is America," and, "Spraying acid and poisoning are both crimes."
Iranian media reported that dozens more Iranian schoolgirls were hospitalized on March 4 in five provinces in what appeared to be a fresh wave of illnesses.
The latest outbreak of cases occurred in the western province of Hamedan, in the Zanjan and West Azerbaijan provinces in the northwest, Fars province in the south, and Alborz in the north, Tasnim and Mehr news agencies reported on March 4, adding that many had been taken to hospitals for emergency treatment.
The reports, which could not be verified independently, said that most girls were in good condition.
The slow response by authorities has prompted some to accuse the government of purposely "poisoning" students, who have been at the forefront of recent anti-government protests -- the biggest threat to the Islamic leadership since the 1979 revolution.
Iran has been roiled by unrest since the September 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in police custody for allegedly wearing a hijab, or head scarf, improperly.
President Ebrahim Raisi announced on March 3 that he had ordered intelligence and interior ministers to investigate the cases, which he said were "the enemy's conspiracy to create fear and despair in the people."