AT LEAST 22 Kurds committed suicide in western Iran last month, the Hengaw Organisation reported today, blaming family problems or poverty.
Eight children were among those that took their lives in cities in the Ilam, Kermanshah, Kurdistan and West Azerbaijan provinces.
Suicides are on the increase in Iran, with the trend being linked to the deteriorating economy, rising prices of basic goods and poverty.
As reported by the Morning Star in October, a number of children committed suicide after they were unable to afford smartphones allowing them to access online classes, following the closure of schools due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Some 60 million Iranians live below the poverty line, according to official statistics.
Economist Ibrahim Razaghi said: “The most important threat to Iran is extreme poverty, widespread unemployment, the inability of many people to pay their rent and that the rich are getting richer.
Noting that 30 million people are out of work, he described the economic situation as “very bad.”
Source: MSO
