Some of the ecological damages that Iran has suffered over the last year because of the US-Israeli attacks may be summarized below:\u00a0<\/p>\n
First, strikes on over 30 major oil facilities<\/a> caused massive fires and dense toxic smog over densely populated areas like Tehran. Hydrocarbons and soot mixed with the atmosphere, resulting in hazardous \u201cblack rain\u201d that coated cities and settled into soils.<\/p>\n The toxic smog is said to contain benzene, formaldehyde, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and other fine particulate matter. The latter can penetrate deep into the respiratory tract and aggravate pre-existing conditions, particularly respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.\u00a0 When exposure is prolonged, these impacts become long-lasting and may be accompanied by an increased risk of cancers, as well as certain neurological disorders.<\/p>\n Secondly, the explosion of munitions and military debris has also led to long-term soil contamination, with the presence in damaged zones of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, nickel or chromium in bombed areas. These contaminants can persist in soils and gradually enter food chains.<\/p>\n Thirdly,\u00a0 the environmental risks linked to the war in Iran also involve the contamination of water.\u00a0 Explosions and fires have caused hydrocarbons to flow into urban drainage systems and certain waterways, potentially contaminating soils and groundwater.<\/p>\n Fourthly, Iran and the adjoining areas have witnessed marine and coastal contamination. Bombing and strikes on naval targets have damaged oil tankers and coastal infrastructure. Spilled oil has threatened fisheries, desalination plants, and fragile marine habitats, including mangroves and reefs.<\/p>\n It may be noted that during the previous Iraq-Iran war in the 1980s, oil spills were linked to a sharp decline in\u00a0the populations of hawksbill and green turtles<\/a>.\u00a0 Even 12 years after this war,\u00a0 traces<\/a> of oil residue\u00a0were still present along Saudi Arabia\u2019s coasts, and full recovery is expected to take decades.<\/p>\n Fifthly, an analysis<\/a> by the Climate and Community Institute found that the first 14 days of the US and Israel\u2019s war on Iran released over 5 million tonnes of greenhouse gases. These emissions surpass Iceland\u2019s total annual carbon footprint and are roughly equal to Kuwait\u2019s annual output.<\/p>\n The intensive use of military equipment, bombers, and support vehicles released more than 5 million tonnes of greenhouse gases in just the first two weeks, accelerating the timeline of regional and global climate destabilization.<\/p>\n It may be noted here that in this war Iran is not alone in suffering. As a participant, Iran has also caused ecological damage in other countries in the Middle\u00a0 East through its missile attacks. In that sense, Iran is not a saint.<\/p>\n In fact, what one has seen in Iran is part of a global trend. Recent conflicts elsewhere, whether in Ukraine or other parts of the Middle East like Gaza and Lebanon or in the Red Sea, also carry the same features.<\/p>\n The conflicts in Ukraine since 2022 and across the Middle East since 2023 have poisoned rivers, burned forests, raised radioactive risks, and left carbon footprints that dwarf many countries\u2019 annual emissions.<\/p>\n It is important to note that armed conflicts constitute a direct source of greenhouse gas emissions. According to a\u00a02022 study<\/a>, the armed forces and their supply chains accounted for 5.5% of global emissions. This is said to have risen much higher in the last five years.<\/p>\n According to a United Nations\u00a0report<\/a>, in 2019,\u00a0the world\u2019s militaries were responsible for 5.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, with the US military identified as the largest contributor. If the world\u2019s military were considered collectively as a single country, it would have the fourth-largest carbon footprint, behind China, the US, and India.<\/p>\n It is reported that emissions rise along<\/a> with increased military spending, with estimates suggesting that every US$100 billion increase in spending generates roughly 32 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e).<\/p>\n Apparently, climate researcher<\/a> Lennard de Klerk has told Newsweek magazine that greenhouse gas emissions from four years of Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine reached 311 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent\u2014\u201ccomparable to the annual emissions of a country like France\u201d.<\/p>\n This consists of emissions from factors including military fossil fuel consumption, forest fires, destruction of energy infrastructure, longer flight routes due to airspace closures, and postwar reconstruction.<\/p>\n The War in Ukraine has also resulted in severe damage to protected areas, waterways, and agricultural lands. Over 30% (more than 1.2 million hectares) of Ukraine\u2019s protected areas have reportedly been adversely affected by fighting.<\/p>\n The 2023 destruction of the Kakhovka Dam remains a monumental ecological disaster, resulting in catastrophic downstream flooding, habitat alteration, and widespread toxic pollution. It caused massive flooding in the lower Dnieper basin, submerging vast natural and agricultural areas. The draining of the reservoir disrupted aquatic ecosystems and dispersed industrial pollutants as well as contaminated sediments, with environmental impacts likely to persist for many years.<\/p>\n Similarly, extensive shelling and military maneuvers have polluted groundwater and soils with heavy metals and unexploded ordnance. An estimated 30% of Ukraine\u2019s territory is contaminated with landmines.<\/p>\n Clearing landmines and unexploded ordnance often takes decades and requires significant investment. In Ukraine, costs are expected to be around US$34.6 billion.<\/a><\/p>\n The story in Gaza also does not seem to be much different.\u00a0 The total emissions of the Israeli counter-attack in Gaza are estimated to amount to 33.2 million<\/a> tCO2e, with the majority arising from the reconstruction of Gaza.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/RAIN.jpg\")
File Image: Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE \/ AFP)<\/p>\n