Iran blames US presence for Gulf waters pollution after oil spills

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(FILES) In this picture obtained from Iran’s ISNA news agency on June 18, 2026, vessels are seen anchored in Bandar Abbas along the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran announced it was closing the Strait of Hormuz on July 12 and launched missiles and drones at its Gulf neighbours, in retaliation for new US strikes following an attack by Iranian forces on a merchant vessel that was abandoned in flames by its crew. (Photo by AMIRHOSSEIN KHORGOOEI / ISNA / AFP) /

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Iran’s foreign ministry on Monday blamed pollution in Gulf waters on US military operations in the region, after several oil spills were reported.

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“This environmental damage stems from the US military presence and the wars it has waged in the region over the past five decades,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told a news briefing.

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“The damage caused to the environment of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman is not solely linked to this war.”

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He called for the United States to be held accountable, estimating the damage at “trillions of dollars.”

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Last week, Iran called for compensation after an oil slick in the Strait of Hormuz reached the island of Qeshm, affecting beaches and an environmentally sensitive mangrove forest.

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At the time, Baqaei cited preliminary evidence identifying “a foreign bulk carrier” as the source of the spill, which Iranian officials later said had been “completely cleaned up.”

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Earlier, Omani state media reported that an oil slick from a tanker that ran aground off Oman had reached the coastline.

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An AFP investigation previously found that the vessel had been stranded for weeks near Oman’s Al-Qibliyyah island after it was damaged by explosions.

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AFP

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