Avash News: The aggressors attacked energy infrastructures, knowing that their act could have very serious impacts on the environment.
The nature of the places that were targeted, not just their geographical extension, has made this war different from those of the past. These are targets that are directly engaged in people’s everyday life and are even tied to environmental sustainability. They zeroed in on military and security targets in the first days. The analysis focused on the balance of power, retaliations, and the possibility of the extension of conflicts into the region. But steadily, the signs of another crisis emerged—a crisis that rarely appears in headlines but whose impacts are much more lasting. This is an environmental crisis. As we saw after an attack by Israel on Iran’s oil stocks in Tehran on March 8, Tehran woke up to a night in the morning.
War and environment, an experience that is being repeated
The history of wars shows that nature is one of the primary victims of any conflict. From the Vietnam War, in which chemical materials destroyed massive areas of forest, to the Persian Gulf War, which caused the sky to turn dark for months after oil wells caught fire. Under such circumstances, explosions not only destroy structures but also give rise to chains of environmental reactions. Burning oil and gas has inserted a huge volume of poisonous pollutants into the air. Destruction of industrial facilities brings dangerous materials into the soil and water. And damage to vital infrastructures disrupts the management of natural resources. What makes this trend more dangerous is its everlasting impact. War may end sometime, but soil pollution, ecosystem destruction, and the reduction of water resources can remain for years.
The black morning of Tehran, when oil covered the sky
One of the most dangerous aspects of this war was the attack on Tehran’s oil stocks. The aftermath was not just the explosion or fire—it was the formation of a poisonous cloud over the capital.
That morning, the city dived into darkness. Soot and particles caused by oil burning covered the sky and blocked the sunlight. It was not only a dramatic phenomenon but also a sign that a massive volume of dangerous pollutants was in the air. Oil, when it burns, produces a complicated compound of poisonous materials: from tiny particles that can penetrate lungs to dangerous gases that can cause serious respiratory and cardiovascular disorders. These materials not only remain in the air, but also settle on the ground, on buildings, and enter water resources.
Therefore, a military attack can rapidly turn into a public health and environmental crisis whose impacts cannot be removed very easily.
Asaluyeh, heart of energy at risk
Ten days after the attack on Iran’s oil stocks, Israel attacked the South Pars gasfield in Asaluyeh, causing another alarm to sound. The South Pars is one of the most important energy hubs in Iran and the world. It is exposed to many damages, whose impacts can go far beyond Iran’s borders. South Pars is not just a gas field; it is a complicated industrial facility. It has transfer lines and coastal infrastructures, any disruption of which can lead to the leakage of hydrocarbon materials and pollutants. In case of serious damage to this facility, gas liquids, and oil materials can enter the Persian Gulf waters. Such an incident can rapidly impact the sensitive ecosystem of the region, which has already been exposed to the impacts of climate change.
Marine animals are the first victims of such an incident, but its impacts are not limited to them. The food chain, livelihood of the local communities, and even food security will be put at risk.
A hidden crisis is forming
Maybe, in the hubbub of war, this aspect is not well noticed, but the reality is that what is happening now is not just a military conflict—it is an environmental crisis whose impacts can last for years.
Iran was already exposed to environmental risks
Iran was facing numerous environmental crises even prior to this war, which had formed over decades, reaching a point that experts described as “the point of unsustainability.”
Water resources have declined in many of the plains across the country. Wetlands are drying up one after another. The soil has lost part of its fertility due to erosion, and deforestation is expanding. Along with all of these, the phenomenon of land subsidence is increasing, which is one of the silent but most important crises. This was Iran’s picture before the war—a land that was already tired and under pressure.
From Iran to the Middle East: A widespread crisis
What is happening in Iran is not happening in isolation. War is ongoing now. There are signs it will extend to the region, which can broaden its environmental impacts.
The Middle East is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world with regard to natural resources. Water shortage, increasing temperatures, and pressure on the ecosystem had already created challenges. This war can disrupt the equilibrium of this fragile balance.
Air pollution and leakage of oil can impact all Persian Gulf countries. Environmental disasters can initiate new waves of immigration. So, a war that started at one point can turn into a regional crisis that is uncontrollable.
A war that continues after the war
One day, this war will end. All wars end eventually, and a truce is announced, and all cities will experience peace—but what is in the air, soil, and water won’t disappear very easily.
It may take years to get back to normal—if returning to normal is even possible.
So wars do not only happen in the present; they also extend into the future. Today’s war impacts will become tomorrow’s challenges, raising a question for us to answer: in a world that is struggling with climate and environmental challenges, is war just a conflict between countries, or is it a battle with the Earth, which is standing defenseless?
