Iran: growing number of suicides amongst youth

The painful and unfortunate tragedy of numerous suicides in Iran have been gradually on the rise in the past few weeks, with the main reason behind this social phenomenon being widespread poverty and a new wave of hopelessness the people face in Iran under the mullahs’ rule. One may conclude that unfortunately suicide in Iran is considered the last method of protest for the people. When people sees no prospect for the evaluation and resolution of the never-ending dilemmas in a society ruled by fundamentalist mullahs, this is how the youth react and show their protest to the incompetence and repressive measures imposed by the ruling elite.

The following is a brief report on this very disturbing trend:

A man hangs himself from a bridge in Tehran’s Mirdamad Avenue.

A 13-year-old girl threw herself off a bridge and died on the spot.

An ill man unable to pay for his medical fees threw himself off the third floor of a hospital and lost his life instantly.

A young street vendor in Ahvaz, southwest Iran, who saw his goods being confiscated by state agents, threw himself on a train railway and died a horrible death.

A 14-year-old in Gachsaran ended her life by firing a bullet to her own head with a hunting rifle. Prior to this case a 17-year-old girl had hanged herself.

In Tabriz, northwest Iran, a 15-year-old girl threw herself off a 10-story building and brings an end to her life.

A 12-year-old school kid in Kohgilaviye & Boyer Ahmed, southern Iran, commits suicide and a soldier in Ahvaz, southwest Iran, commits suicide with a gun.

These cases are only related to the past month. With a quick search on the Internet, the widespread catastrophe of suicides, especially amongst youth and school students, becomes all the more evident. This trend has reached the point that state media in Iran are speaking of a “suicide tsunami” amongst school kids in Iran.

A member of the Tehran City Council writes about children committing suicide during the March 2015 to March 2016 period: “From 2002 to 2004 a total of 111 children committed suicide in Iran. These children ranged from the age of 8 to 13.”

Furthermore, Iran’s Ministry of Science advisor in an interview with a state news agency also referred to the growing number of suicides amongst college students.

“Suicide is the second main reason behind of deaths amongst Iranian college students,” he said.

State media have also shed light on this troubling growing trend in a number of Iran’s provinces.

“The provinces of Ilam, Khuzestan, Lorestan, Kermanshah, Goelstan and Kohgilaviye & Boyer Ahmad had the large number of suicides in the country,” the reports read.

Unemployment is main cause of suicides

Research numbers from inside Iran’s Health Ministry on suicides:

Unemployment is the main element behind suicides in Iran. Amongst the various social classes, people with diplomas consist of the main branch committing suicide in Iran. Furthermore, numbers shows that in Iran more women are committing suicide then men. Finally, according to investigations and statistics published by the Health Ministry’s Psychological and Addiction Bureau, financial problems, poverty and social difficulties are the elements pushing youths in Iran to committing suicide.

Without a doubt this cycle of death and destruction will only come to an end under a government of the people that resembles the message of hope, life, and a bright future for the Iranian people.