Air pollution blamed for killing thousands of Iranians

TEHRAN, Jan 9 (Reuters) About 10,000 people were killed last year by illnesses related to air pollution in Iran's smog-choked capital, the Etemad-e Melli newspaper today quoted the deputy mayor as saying.

Tehran's worsening air pollution has become one of the most hotly debated topics in the city. The sky is frequently obscured by a haze created by traffic, aged vehicles and factories in the southern part of the city of 12 million.

''Living in Tehran is like committing mass suicide. The number of deaths is expected to increase this year,'' the daily quoted deputy mayor Mohammad Hadi Heydarzadeh as saying.

The Iranian year ends in March 20.

Heydarzadeh said indicators showed that air quality had worsened and pollution played a major role in 3,600 deaths in October in Tehran.

People died mostly from heart attacks, strokes, pneumonia and other lung diseases, caused by smog-related respiratory problems.

Officials have asked the elderly, children and people with heart or chest ailments to stay at home if they can.

State air officials say cars are the biggest source of Tehran's pollution.

''The pollution will worsen if motor vehicle use continues to rise,'' an unnamed official told the daily. ''Public transport needs to be improved as soon as possible.'' Iran has turned into a regional carmaking hub with foreign firms such as Renault, Peugeot and Hyundai signing production deals in the Islamic Republic.

Access to cheap fuel, about nine cent per litre, encourages people to use cars, choking the streets of Tehran with traffic.

Iranians burn 70 million litres of gasoline each day.

REUTERS SSC RK1450