Iran Shuts Schools and Offices as Air Pollution Reaches Hazardous Levels

Iran Shuts Schools and Offices as Air Pollution Reaches Hazardous Levels
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Iran has closed or shifted operations online for schools, universities, and government offices across several provinces as air pollution in major cities reached critical thresholds, IranWire reported. Emergency task forces ordered the closures after air quality indexes in at least eight major cities entered unhealthy or hazardous ranges, according to local media.

In Tehran province, the air pollution emergency committee announced that schools and universities will operate remotely on Tuesday and Wednesday. Preschools and primary schools will remain closed for the rest of the week.

Government offices and bank administrative departments in Tehran — with the exception of Firozkooh — will also continue remote operations through the week. Authorities further imposed an odd-even traffic plan from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and banned all truck movement inside the capital.

Remote learning measures were also implemented in Qazvin province, as well as in Arak, Shazand, and Saveh in Markazi province. Schools, universities, and public offices in nine cities across East Azerbaijan province shifted to online attendance, along with institutions in Yazd and Alborz.

The Meteorology Office issued warnings for several regions, labeling air quality as “unhealthy” to “very unhealthy” for all residents. Experts cite the burning of mazut in power plants and seasonal temperature inversion as key contributors, and expect poor conditions to persist. In parts of Isfahan and Sistan and Baluchistan provinces, school closures were instead linked to flu outbreaks.