Iran Blames US Military Presence for Gulf Waters Pollution
Iran's foreign ministry has pointed fingers at the US military presence in the region as the cause of pollution in the Gulf waters after several oil spills. This environmental damage is attributed to 'the US military presence and the wars it has waged in the region over the past five decades,' said Esmaeil Baqaei, a foreign ministry spokesman.
The estimated damage to the environment of the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman is put at 'trillions of dollars.' Iran had previously called for compensation after an oil slick in the Strait of Hormuz reached the island of Qeshm, affecting beaches and an environmentally sensitive mangrove forest.
Baqaei cited preliminary evidence identifying a 'foreign bulk carrier' as the source of the spill, which Iranian officials later said had been 'completely cleaned up.' An oil slick from a tanker that ran aground off Oman's coastline was also reported earlier.