Bootleg Alcohol Claims One Life, Poisons 28 at Shiraz Gathering

A group of 29 physicians were reportedly poisoned by “counterfeit alcoholic beverages” in the city of Shiraz, according to the Fars News Agency managed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards.

The alcohol at the private event reportedly resulted in the death of one female doctor, left another in a coma, and caused several others to suffer from kidney failure.

Alcohol has been prohibited in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution – with penalties including imprisonment, floggings, and fines for consumption, production, or sale.

First-time offenders can face up to 80 lashes, and repeated offenses may lead to the death penalty.

For years, however, Iranians have continued to consume both imported and homemade alcoholic drinks available through the black market.

A 2018 World Health Organization (WHO) report ranked Iran ninth out of 189 countries in alcohol consumption per capita, indicating a significant level of underground activity related to the production and distribution of alcoholic beverages.

The latest incident is part of a broader pattern observed in late June and early July 2023, where numerous poisoning cases were reported across several provinces including Tehran, Alborz, Mazandaran, Hormozgan, and Qazvin.

Those incidents were linked to the consumption of what has been termed by authorities as "counterfeit beverages" or industrial alcohol, which have also led to multiple deaths.

Most victims identified in the cases are reportedly between the ages of 20 to 40 years old.

Many Iranians see these events as a reflection of the continuous overreach of religious regulations into their personal lives and choices.