Iranian Foreign Ministry representative Ismail Bagai announced on August 12 that pollution in the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman has caused trillions of dollars in damage to Iran’s coastal areas over decades.
Bagai stated: “This incident is just one of the clear examples of large-scale pollution, which in recent decades has worsened the state of the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, as well as the marine ecosystem of the region, causing damage to the coastal areas of Iran by trillions of dollars.”
The statement followed footage of pollution on Qeshm Island’s coastline that appeared online. Preliminary data indicates a foreign dry cargo vessel may be responsible for the spill, which has been recorded along three sections of the coast and parts of the sea surface.
Bagai emphasized that all parties using commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz bear both legal and moral responsibility for eliminating environmental damage.
The incident coincides with an oil spill from the tanker Caroline Bezengi, which carries nearly one million barrels of oil and is subject to sanctions. The vessel ran aground off Oman’s coast on August 8 and grounded approximately two months ago near a protected water area off Qibliya Island in southwestern Oman. Satellite images show the spill has already covered almost 800 square kilometers of sea surface.
