Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of reports of an alleged chemical attack on Iranian schoolgirls on 5 March 2023; and if he will make a statement.

We are aware of reports of mass poisonings of school girls across Iran since November and continue to monitor developments closely. On 3 March, the Minister for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon urged the Iranian authorities to investigate these incidents urgently and with transparency. The Minister underlined that it is essential that all girls can exercise their human right to education without fear.