Schools, Government Offices in Tehran Closed Due to Sandstorm

Schools and government offices in the Iranian capital, Tehran, as well as other cities in the Islamic Republic were closed on Monday due to a bad sandstorm. It is the fourth serious sandstorm in recent months, and the second time that schools and government offices in the capital were forced to close. Banks and the Tehran Stock Exchange remained open on Monday, however. Sandstorms are more frequent in the west of the country along the border with Iraq, where schools and offices have been forced to close frequently due to the storms. State-run television in Iran warned at-risk populations, including the sick, elderly and children to remain indoors. Tehran is also considered one of the most polluted cities in the world.