Footage obtained on August 14 revealed two large oil spills in Iranian territorial waters.
Sentinel-2 images from August 10 recorded a spill off the southern tip of Qeshm Island. Researchers from the Dutch PAX organization noted that the spot is heterogeneous: dark areas indicate a leak of heavy fuel, lighter streaks stretched for 160 km. Emissions are already being observed on the island’s beaches.
The probable source of pollution is the Liberian-flagged cargo ship Minoan Pioneer. A second spill was discovered on August 13 near the island of Sirri, where Iranian oil and gas companies are concentrated. Towing the damaged vessel faces significant challenges due to difficulties in obtaining permits from Iranian authorities.
“The longer the oil stays in the water, the more it spreads and causes irreparable damage to the coastline and ecosystems,” warned Brian Barnes, an oceanographer at the University of South Florida.
Separately, on August 8, the tanker Caroline Bezengi ran aground about two months ago near a protected water area off the island of Qibliya in southwestern Oman. The ship, which carries almost one million barrels of oil, has caused an oil spill that now covers nearly 800 square kilometers of sea surface.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Bagai stated on August 12 that pollution of the Persian and Oman Gulfs has caused trillions of dollars in damage to Iran’s coastal regions over decades. He noted that pollution was recorded on three sections of coast and part of the sea surface, and emphasized that all parties using commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz are responsible for repairing the damage.
Iranian Coastlines Under Threat as Two Massive Oil Spills Discovered
