[56108] Diplomatic confrontation over allegations of oil pollution in the Persian Gulf

Diplomatic confrontation over allegations of oil pollution in the Persian Gulf

Tensions are rising around reports of extensive oil pollution around Iran's Kharg Island. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Bagaei, responded sharply to Western claims that Iran is dumping oil into the sea, calling them a "total lie." According to him, Iran views these claims as part of a campaign against it, while arguing that it is precisely the "American military presence and the imposed wars in the region" that are the true cause of the environmental damage in the Gulf waters.

In stark contrast to the official position in Tehran, Iran International, a media outlet critical of the Iranian regime, reported based on the words of analyst Dror Balazada that Iran is aware of the pollution but continues to use old and dilapidated oil tankers. According to the report, the regime refrains from stopping production due to fear of irreversible damage to oil wells, which leads to ongoing leaks.

Conversely, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), which serves as an official mouthpiece for the administration in Tehran, published a technical version of the event. According to the Department of Environment in Iran, the patches observed do not stem from a crude oil leak from production facilities, but from the discharge of contaminated "ballast water" from a tanker that sustained damage in the Strait of Hormuz area.

As part of a series of statements published in Akharin Khabar, which is close to the Iranian establishment, the Foreign Ministry spokesman claimed that Iran reserves the right to respond severely to what was defined as "acts of sabotage by the Zionist regime" in regional processes. He emphasized that the release of frozen funds and the cessation of the naval blockade do not constitute a "gift" from the US, but an insistence on Iran's rights.