Some 26 people have died after consuming contaminated alcohol in northern Iran, the Iranian newspaper Haft-Sobh reported on Thursday. Citing local health authorities and hospitals, it said a further 160 people had been admitted to hospitals in the two provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran within 72 hours, displaying symptoms of poisoning. Alcohol consumption is strictly forbidden in the Islamic Republic, meaning Iranians have to buy alcoholic drinks on the black market or produce them themselves. This carries many risks, as incorrect distillation can result in home-brewed alcohol being contaminate…