Iran TV: Sandstorm shuts offices, schools in Tehran, region

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Schools and government offices have closed in the Iranian capital and several other cities in the country after yet another sandstorm blanketed Tehran and the surrounding region. State-run TV warned of poor air quality and advised the elderly, those sick and children to take precautions. The report says banks and the stock exchange would remain open on Monday in Tehran and elsewhere. This is the second time that Tehran shuttered schools and government offices and the fourth bad sandstorm since mid-April. Tehran is among the most polluted cities in the world. Experts blame poor government policies, desertification and low water levels, as well as climate change, for the frequency and intensity of recent sandstorms.