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A general view taken from a vantage point in the north of Tehran shows the capital covered in smog on Dec. 3. (AFP/Getty Images)
Schools, universities, and government buildings in the Iranian capital of Tehran will be shut down Tuesday and Wednesday due to high levels of air pollution, state media reported.
“To avoid reaching distress levels, an order was given to shut down ministries, institutes, universities and schools across Tehran province,” Tehran’s provincial Gov. Morteza Tamadon said, according to Middle East Online, which cited state television.
“Banks will not be closed. We urge people to cut down on unnecessary city travel,” he added.
The head of Tehran’s Air Quality Control Company, Yousef Rashid, said over the weekend that the recent weather in the capital has led to an increase in air pollution, reported the semiofficial Mehr News Agency. The air pollution, he said, had increased by some 30 percent compared to the previous week.
He also said that children and people with heart and respiratory problems should stay inside.
Officials have said that most of the air pollution comes from vehicles operating on congested roads in Tehran, which has more than 13.5 million people in its metro area, according to state-run Press TV.
Around this time each year, heavy pollution forces the closure of schools and government facilities for several days.
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