TEHRAN (Reuters) - Eighty-four people have died and about 1,000 have been poisoned for drinking alcohol smuggled in the last six weeks, the Iranian Health Ministry said Monday.
Several cases of toxic poisoning were reported in late September and spread across the country.
According to the semi-official agency, 959 people are being treated for alcohol poisoning, describing the wave of poisoning as "absolutely unusual," according to the semi-official agency.
In addition to the deaths of 84 people, 305 people are treated for kidney damage and 27 have problems with vision, the spokesman said.
"The main reason is to take toxic methanol instead of the ethanol found in regular alcoholic beverages," he said.
"A number of people have been arrested for their association with this issue, and people should know that alcohol wrapped in sealed foreign packaging can be adulterated," he said.
Most cases of poisoning occurred in Burz province, north of Tehran, and Hormuzgan on the southern coast.
Alcohol is only allowed to be consumed or purchased in Iran for officially recognized religious minorities.
A penalty of violating a fine alcohol law, or skin or imprisonment, and even though, the smuggled liquor can be widely spread through illegal traders.
