School principal in Isfahan commits self-immolation

On Wednesday, ISNA news agency reported that the principal of one of Isfahan's high schools committed self-immolation in front of the city's justice building.

Amin Kianpour, a math teacher and principal of Najafi High School No. 1 in the fifth education district of Isfahan, set himself on fire with gasoline in front of the Isfahan Provincial Courthouse on Nikbakht Street in the city on Sunday, July 26.

ISNA news agency quoted one of Mr. Kianpour's colleagues as saying that this teacher and school principal was 43 years old, had no history of nervousness or unusual or unpredictable behavior, was very calm and understanding, and his ability to teach mathematics was such that all schools had requested to work with him.

According to the news agency, Amin Kianpour has long been involved in a lawsuit to reclaim an apartment that the owner sold to two people, including Mr. Kianpour.

After going to court for a long time, he announced that he would set himself on fire in front of the courthouse if he was not given his rights, and when the court awarded the rights to the first buyer, he carried out his threat.

A colleague of Amin Kianpour told ISNA that everyone is in shock and astonishment, and that in this economic situation, educators are facing very difficult circumstances.

He said: "Our school's educational assistant, with 26 years of teaching experience, is still a tenant, and the landlord has asked him for a mortgage of 300 million tomans. How much does a teacher earn? When someone becomes a homeowner under these circumstances, but is suddenly told that the house belongs to someone else and that he must vacate it, what happens to him?"

Since 2019, several reports have been published of self-immolations and suicides by workers and other social groups in Iran due to increasing poverty and economic pressures.

Source: Radio Farda