Al-Monitor l Zahra Alipour: A massive influx of dust storms in recent weeks has once again paralyzed Iran�s southwestern province of Khuzestan. The province has been reeling from dust storms since the early 2000s, a problem which often leads to schools and government offices being closed, power, water and internet outages as well as residents being rushed to hospitals with respiratory complications.

According to a Feb.�18 assessment by the Khuzestan Environmental Protection Office, the�concentration of dust particles�in the provincial capital of Ahvaz was�1,841�micrograms per cubic meter���12 times higher than�the maximum recommended. In previous years, one city in the province was even reported to have�66 times�more dust particles in the air�than the maximum.

The recent crisis in Khuzestan prompted protests not only on social media but also on the streets of Ahvaz.�In an attempt to address the crisis, two provincial officials were dismissed while President Hassan Rouhani and�two of his Cabinet ministers traveled to Khuzestan to examine the situation ��or, in the words of Ahvaz�s deputy governor, to �sympathize� with the people ahead of the May 19 presidential elections. Just days before Rouhani�s trip, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also criticized the management of the crisis, saying, �If someone is concerned about the people, they cannot remain unmoved in the face of the difficult problems in Khuzestan.�
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