While suicides in Tehran’s metro stations remain a serious issue, official statistics in this area have not been updated for over a decade. Experts believe that the lack of proper safety measures, such as platform screen doors, plays a significant role in prolonging this crisis.
The state-run Khabar Online website, in an investigative report on the lack of safety measures in metro stations, noted that based on 2014 statistics, between 17 and 18 people per year attempted suicide in Tehran’s metro stations.
The report adds that subsequent studies have shown an increasing trend in these numbers over the years. However, no updated statistics have been released, and many of these incidents are officially reported under the label of “unauthorized entry into the rail area.”
The first recorded case of suicide in the metro dates back to March 2005, when an 18-year-old girl took her own life at Beheshti station.
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Between 2007 and 2012, multiple cases of suicide were reported in various metro stations.
In 2014, a middle-aged woman at Vali Asr station and a man on metro Line 4 ended their lives.
This trend continued into the 2010s; in September 2016, a 40-year-old man at Enghelab station threw himself onto the tracks, and in February 2017, a 28-year-old woman lost her life at Azadi Square station.
These incidents have persisted in recent years. In March 2024, an 18-year-old youth attempted suicide at Janbazan metro station, and in August 2024, a 30-year-old woman at Ibn Sina station was severely injured after being struck by a train.
The report highlights the Tehran Municipality’s neglect of safety measures, noting that many metro stations lack platform personnel who can activate the emergency stop button during critical moments.
One of the metro train operators stated, “The shortage of staff has not only increased the likelihood of suicides but has also led to other issues such as passengers forcibly closing train doors, street vending, and even smoking inside stations.”
Furthermore, the absence of physical barriers, such as protective doors, has made it easy for anyone intending to commit suicide to access the tracks without any obstacles.
While many countries have successfully reduced metro suicides through preventive measures, in Tehran, such solutions have been stalled for various reasons, and no clear plan has been proposed to address this crisis.
However, the root causes of youth suicides in Iran are none other than poverty and the increasing repression by the government, which pushes young people toward suicide.
