Air pollution engulfs Iranian capital

Iranian authorities urged young schoolchildren and many civil servants in the capital Tehran to stay at home due to a spike in air pollution levels."One third of the employees of all executive bodies will work remotely on Wednesday due to the accumulation of pollutants," the official IRNA news agency reported, citing a government committee tasked with monitoring pollution.

It also said that pre-school and elementary school classes in Tehran "will be held virtually on Wednesday due to worsening air pollution levels". The committee warned people across the city against engaging in any "outdoor activities."Tehran, a city of around nine million people, suffers from chronic air pollution and regularly ranks among the world's most polluted cities.