Iran yesterday adopted a 10-year plan to tackle dismal air quality in its capital, Tehran, after weeks of nasty pollution problems that forced kids and elderly people to stay indoors and prodded others to don gas masks when venturing outside. The plan, which went into immediate effect, aims to improve the city’s public transportation system and phase out old cars. Most of the cars in Tehran are more than 20 years old and lack modern exhaust systems. Last month, the government shut down elementary schools and closed the city center to motorists for several days because of pollution, and today a government committee advised residents of the capital to remain indoors.
