Seven Dead In Iran Alcohol Controversy

In Tehran, Iran, a bad batch of homemade alcohol has killed seven and hospitalized several, according to the New York Times.

Symptoms have included loss of vision among other effects associated with the ingestion of a combination of methanol and energy drinks. The instances were concentrated in a region of Iran called Rafsanjan, which is the center of Iran's pistachio cultivation.

The initial report came from local news source Ebtekarnews Web, which has said that all of the victims are young males under 27 years old.

Alcohol consumption is prohibited in the region, with punishments ranging from lashing to death.  In Prohibition Era-esque behavior, alcohol is both made and smuggled illegally. The New York Times has cited the upcoming election as a potential cause for this behavior, as some officials see it as a way to diminish approval for the current administration.

So far, three people have been arrested, and the consequences for those who have been hospitalized are unknown.