Iran Battles Oil Spill Near Qeshm Amid Ongoing Shipping Tensions
Iran is battling a major oil spill in the sea near the island of Qeshm, after months of clashes over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Iranian newspaper Etemad reported that initial measures to contain the oil slick have been taken. The state-run news agency IRNA had previously stated that 3.2 hectares of the country's coastline and 9 hectares of coastal waters had been affected.
According to the environmental organization Greenpeace, oil has been washing ashore along extensive stretches of the southern coast of Geshm Island since Monday. The area is home to sea turtle nesting sites and important fishing grounds.
Satellite images from Thursday showed further oil spills in the Strait of Hormuz, covering approximately 500 square kilometers, as well as two smaller ones covering about 100 and 20 square kilometers, respectively.