Over 1,000 Iranian university students sick with 'food poisoning' day before mass protest

Roughly 1,200 university students in Iran became ill with food poisoning the night before massive anti-Tehran protests were scheduled across the country, a student union said.

Arak University of Technology students ate cafeteria food and began experiencing "body pain, diarrhea and vomiting" last week, the student group said on Telegram, as translated. Several students were reportedly sent to the hospital.

At least four other schools had similar outbreaks, including Kharazmi University, The New York Post reported Tuesday.

Arak University officials said the students were sick with "some kind of virus," according to the union. However, another wave of illness at Isfahan University of Technology proves that the university's claims are "false," the student group said.

Iran has been experiencing a series of massive protests following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the Islamic morality police for allegedly not properly covering her hair with a hijab.