Annual Buildup of Air Pollution Chokes Tehran [1]

The New York Times - 1/06/13, Thomas Erdbrink

Air pollution blanketed the skyline of Tehran on Friday.
(Vahid Salemi/Associated Press)

TEHRAN — Already battered by international threats against their nation’s nuclear program, sanctions [2] and a broken economy [3], Iranians living here in the capital are now trying to cope with what has become an annual pollution peril: a yellowish haze that engulfs Tehran this time of year.

For nearly a week, officials here and in other large cities have been calling on residents to remain indoors or avoid downtown areas, saying that with air pollution at such high levels, venturing outside could be tantamount to “suicide,” state radio reported Saturday.

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