According to media reports, air quality in the provinces of Khuzestan, Isfahan, and Razavi Khorasan has reached a red-level warning. Isfahan has been deprived of clean air for the twentieth consecutive day, and 17 cities in Khuzestan are experiencing unhealthy air. In all urban areas of Mashhad, air quality has been reported as unhealthy for all population groups.
Official sources announced that on Sunday, October 12, air quality in more than 20 cities across Iran reached purple, red, and orange alert levels — classified as hazardous, unhealthy for all groups, or unhealthy for sensitive groups. The reports attributed most of the pollution to dust particles and fine particulate matter.
Khuzestan: 17 Cities with Unhealthy Air
Air quality in at least 17 cities in Khuzestan province has been reported as unhealthy. According to data from Iran’s National Air Quality Monitoring System, the pollution index in Dasht-e Azadegan reached the purple range, meaning “very unhealthy” for all age groups.
Isfahan’s 20th Consecutive Unhealthy Day
Air pollution in the city of Isfahan continued for the twentieth consecutive day. The city’s air is categorized as orange — unhealthy for sensitive groups. In some districts such as Zeinabiyeh Street and Kordabad, the air has been reported as unhealthy for the general public.
Mashhad in Critical Condition
On the afternoon of Saturday, October 11, the Department of Environmental Protection of Razavi Khorasan issued a self-protection warning to Mashhad residents following an increase in dust and air pollutants forecasted for Saturday and Sunday, October 11 and 12.
On the morning of Sunday, October 12, Mashhad’s Environmental Monitoring Center reported the city’s real-time air quality index at red level, meaning unhealthy for all groups. Air quality across all areas of Mashhad remained at the red level and hazardous for everyone.
In recent weeks, several cities in various provinces of Iran have also experienced air pollution and dust storms, disrupting daily life and affecting residents’ health.
In recent years, air pollution in Iran has repeatedly reached critical levels, while dust storms have further intensified environmental challenges and public health risks.
Despite the growing scale of this crisis, the Iranian regime has so far failed to adopt a systematic and sustainable approach to address it.
