Iran's alcohol ban is costing lives, says former minister

An Iranian politician and activist has urged the government to reconsider its ban on alcohol, saying the strict restrictions are costing lives.

Mostafa Tajzadeh, a former official who served time in prison for his political views, asked in a tweet the government to reconsider the ban, urging it to save the lives of its citizens.

Tajzadeh's comments came following a remarkable hike of alcohol poisoning incidence in the country.

In October 2018, the Iranian health ministry said that 84 people died after drinking contaminated bootleg alcohol.

"Some have been arrested in this regard and people should know that even alcohol packed and sealed in foreign packages can easily be fake," Iraj Harirchi, ministry's spokesman, said in response to the spate of deaths.

Harirchi also confirmed that 959 people were treated for poisoning, with 305 more hospitalised with kidney damage and 27 suffering eye damage.

Tajzadeh said that people will go blind or into comas before the Islamic Republic realises that the ban is not efficient.

In a recent poisoning, reported last week, Iran's state-run news agency said ten people died from tainted alcohol in northwestern Azarbaijan province, while 240 were hospitalised.

Alcohol consumption in the Islamic Republic is banned since the Iranian revolution in 1979, although smuggling and a bootleg alcohol trade has become rampant in the country.

Muslims are banned from consuming alcohol and those who are arrested can receive prison sentences as well as public flogging.