'Situation horrible, stay at home': Air pollution chokes Iran's capital Tehran

Iran Air Pollution: Since March, "Tehran has had nine days of clean air" only, the service responsible for monitoring air quality said.

Schoolchildren and some government employees in Tehran have been ordered to stay at home due to severe air pollution in the Iranian capital. The "red warning" for hazardous air quality extends beyond the capital as it affects major cities, news agency AFP reported. In Tehran, kindergartens and schools have shuttered their doors since Sunday. Online classes will take place instead, authorities informed. The governor's office advised people deemed "sensitive" -children, the elderly, and pregnant women- to refrain from outdoor activities and physical exercise.

Iran Air Pollution: General view of the city following an increase in air pollution in Tehran, Iran.(Reuters)

Since March, "Tehran has had nine days of clean air" only, the service responsible for monitoring air quality said.

Experts warned of the grave health and economic consequences of pollution saying that it claimed lives of about 40,000 people each year in the country of around 85 million people, reports claimed.

City council members Soudeh Nadjafi and Mehdi Pirhadi recently highlighted "burning mazout" in some of Tehran's power plants as a major contributor to the city's pollution.

"Electricity supplies have become more dependent on thermal and gas power plants, which naturally increases the sources of air pollution," environmental expert Sadegh Partani said, adding, “Turning to new and sustainable sources of energies, such as solar, is one of the best ways to reduce air pollution caused by electricity producing industries.”

Azam Keyvan, a 40-year-old civil servant, told AFP, “The situation is horrible. My throat itches as soon as I go out into the street.” Saeed Sattari, a 42-year-old street vendor in Tehran said, “We can't breathe anymore. I'm going bankrupt since people avoid going outside.”