Oil Pollution Threatens Trillion-Dollar Damage to Gulf Ecosystem
An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson has warned that oil pollution in the region could cause trillions of dollars in damage to marine ecosystems. Esmail Baghaei made the remarks on social media X, sharing video footage showing pollution along the coast of Iran's Kish Island.
Baghai attributed the incident to a foreign vessel and noted that it was just one example of the extensive pollution that has degraded the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman over recent decades. He emphasized that all parties involved in commercial shipping bear both legal and moral responsibility for addressing the damage caused.
The oil spill occurred when the 247-meter-long tanker Caroline Bezengi ran aground near the Al Hallaniyah Islands in Oman's Dhofar Governorate after an explosion on board. The incident polluted approximately 12 kilometers of Oman's coastline.