Flowers to heal public fear from acid attacks

Tehran, Oct 29, IRNA – Two flower-carrying cyclists surprised passersby in Tehran on Tuesday when they offered flowers to them in a symbolic move to alleviate public fear from the recent heart-breaking acid attacks against women, a Persian-language daily reported on Wednesday. According to 'Shahrvand' morning newspaper, the helmet-wearing cyclists distributed white and pink roses among people to reassure them of existing peace and security in the society after the Iranian public opinion was hurt by the distressing acid attacks of recent weeks in two Iranian cities. A number of women in the ancient city of Isfahan in central Iran were attacked by cyclists who threw acid on their faces. A single similar case also occurred in the holy city of Mashhad in Khorassan Razavi Province in northeast of the country. By distributing flowers among people, the two unknown cyclists displayed kindness to people who walk in the streets these days with fear and caution caused by the nightmare of the recent weeks acid attacks, Shahrvand wrote. It added that the symbolic act will also help people overcome their fears and find a pleasant and optimistic feeling about their Iranian fellow citizens who have been hurt by the acid attacks incidents, wrote the paper. A car moving behind the flower-distributing motorcyclists filmed their humanitarian act. Later in the day, their 150—second clip has captured a large number of internet users on social networks. The acid attacks have triggered massive outrage among Iranian people and officials who reacted to the savage move differently. President Hassan Rouhani instructed Interior Ministry to seriously follow up Isfahan's acid attacks case. On October 25, Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani commissioned his first deputy to probe urgently and seriously into the Isfahan acid attacks in person. Ayatollah Larijani expressed hope that the “criminal, or criminals” of the notorious act will be arrested very soon and punished for their acts. Meanwhile, Interior minister Abdol-Reza Rahmani-Fazli said the attacks should not bug the minds of people as disciplinary forces are seriously following up the case. In another development, Head of the Presidential Office's Department for Women and Family Affairs Shahindokht Molaverdi also called for allocating funds for the victims of acid attacks. The acid attacks were also highly covered by foreign media who launched a massive psychological propaganda against Iran./end