WANA (Aug 13) – Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei addressed rising maritime pollution in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, linking the environmental damage to U.S. military presence, recent aggression against Iran, and heavy tanker traffic over recent decades.
Baghaei referenced video footage showing an oil spill along the coast of Qeshm Island, noting that preliminary evidence points to a foreign bulk carrier as the source. Reports indicate contamination across three coastal areas and portions of the sea surface.
Describing the incident as part of a broader pattern of hidden environmental damage that has degraded regional marine ecosystems and caused trillions of dollars in harm to Iranian coastal zones, the spokesman raised questions regarding legal and financial accountability.
He questioned whether responsibility for compensation lies with countries consuming cheap energy exported from the region, shipping insurance companies, or foreign military forces operating in the area.
Asserting that Iran—as the country with the longest coastline along the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman—will not remain indifferent to the situation, Baghaei stated that addressing environmental conditions must be an integral component of future management in the Strait of Hormuz.
He concluded that all parties benefiting from commercial shipping in the strait bear both a legal and moral obligation to repair the ecological damage inflicted on the regional waters.
