Chemically-wounded veterans in Tehran advised to stay indoors

TEHRAN, May 27 (MNA) – A pulmonologist advises the chemically wounded war veterans in Tehran to avoid outdoor activities as dust storms which has reached the already polluted capital has made breathing more difficult for this group of disabled veterans. Dr. Jaffar Aslani, who is also the chancellor of Baqiyatollah Medical Sciences University, told Mehr News Agency that these patients are highly sensitive to air pollution as it causes dyspnea, chest pain, and severe coughing. Iraq, under Saddam Hussein, used chemical weapons against Iran during the 1980s. Saddam also used chemical weapons against the Kurdish population in northern Iraq. He advised the chemically-wounded war veterans to: 1- To consume their drugs as prescribed by physicians; 2- Avoid unnecessary trafficking in Tehran; 3- To consume more dairy products; 4- And consume fresh fruits. Asslani also said fresh fruits contain antioxidants which can lower the effects of air pollution on lungs. The dust storms which have reached large parts of Iran including the metropolis of Tehran mainly originate from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Jordan.