Gholam Abbas Torki, the Assistant Prosecutor for Public Law and Crime Prevention of the Iranian regime, recently revealed that approximately 70,000 people die by suicide annually in Iran. This shocking figure contrasts starkly with previous statements from regime officials, raising concerns about the accuracy of reported data and the increasing prevalence of suicide in the country.
Discrepancies in Official Statistics
On Sunday, September 15, during a conference at a medical sciences university focused on suicide prevention, Torki shared troubling statistics that shed light on the gravity of the situation. He stated that there are an estimated 130,000 suicide attempts in Iran each year, with around 7,000 of these attempts resulting in death. This figure is significantly higher than the one previously disclosed by Saeed Montazer al-Mahdi, the spokesperson for Iran’s police force, who had announced on September 8 that only 4,000 people die by suicide annually.
The origin of the vast discrepancy—nearly 75%—between these two sets of statistics remains unclear, raising questions about data collection methods and the transparency of reporting on this critical issue.
Suicide: A Leading Cause of Death Among Youth
Torki emphasized the urgent need for action, warning that suicide has become the third leading cause of death among individuals aged 15 to 24 and ranks as the tenth leading cause of death across all age groups in Iran. His remarks highlighted the alarming rise of suicide rates, particularly among young people, and the failure of traditional methods of prevention to address this growing problem.
A Call for Policy Reform
In his speech, Torki called for a comprehensive review of the current policies and strategies for suicide prevention in Iran. He criticized institutions for neglecting the issue and failing to address the root causes effectively. According to Torki, while more women attempt suicide than men, the number of completed suicides is higher among men. This disparity, he explained, is due to the “difference in the lethality of the methods used” by men and women in the country.
Torki also raised a red flag regarding the rising suicide rate, noting that it has increased from 5 per 100,000 people to 8 per 100,000. He stressed that this upward trend requires urgent attention and the implementation of effective solutions.
Social and Economic Pressures Driving the Crisis
Sociologists and researchers have also weighed in on the issue, linking the rise in suicides to broader social and economic factors. In April, Fatemeh Mousavi Vayaye, a sociologist, pointed to the increase in suicides, immigration, and addiction as symptoms of a society grappling with what she termed an “exit strategy.” Mousavi explained that while immigration is one form of escape, suicide represents a more tragic and final exit for those who feel utterly hopeless.
“People who commit suicide don’t necessarily view their actions as political protest. Rather, they are often overwhelmed by despair and unable to bear the pain of living,” Mousavi noted.
Similarly, sociologist Ardeshir Bahrami, speaking in March 2024, expressed concern over the rise in suicides among children and adolescents. He identified factors such as the lack of open dialogue within families, child marriage, forced marriages, and poverty as key drivers of the crisis. Bahrami warned that these issues, if left unaddressed, would continue to fuel the climbing suicide rate among Iran’s youth.
Student Suicides on the Rise
The Coordinating Council of Trade Union Organizations of Iranian Cultural Organizations recently published a report highlighting the alarming increase in suicides among students. The report attributed the rise to economic hardship, the decline of the middle class, the inefficiency of the education system, and the monetization of education. It also pointed to the lack of adequate counseling services in schools as a contributing factor.
The report emphasized the severity of the situation: “The wave of student suicides from Ilam and Pardis to Sanandaj has shocked society, yet senior education officials have failed to provide a meaningful response.”
Suicides Among Various Professional Groups
In recent months, there have been numerous reports of suicides among workers, teachers, doctors, students, and even prisoners, all attributed to the pervasive issues of poverty, discrimination, and government mismanagement. On June 6, 2024, the state-run daily Khabar Online reported that the suicide rate within the medical community had increased fivefold. Since the beginning of the year, at least three confirmed cases of suicide among healthcare professionals have been documented, underscoring the pressure faced by those working in the medical field.
Conclusion
Iran is facing an escalating suicide crisis, driven by a range of social, economic, and political factors. The significant discrepancies between official statistics only further complicate the issue, making it difficult to fully grasp the scale of the problem. Nevertheless, the rising suicide rate, particularly among the youth and professionals, signals the need for immediate, comprehensive reform of suicide prevention policies and a deeper understanding of the underlying causes. Without swift and decisive action, the country risks seeing this tragic trend continue to rise.
