Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, has expressed concerns over the environmental degradation in the Strait of Hormuz amid the recent oil spill in the region
Baqaei took to X late Wednesday and questioned responsibility for the environmental damage in the Strait of Hormuz. According to him, videos have emerged showing oil pollution along the shores of Qeshm Island, with preliminary evidence suggesting a “foreign bulk carrier” as the source.
According to Baqaei, the contamination has been documented at three coastal sites and across parts of the sea surface. He noted that the incident is one of many pollution events affecting the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman over the years, causing damage estimated at “trillions of dollars” to Iran’s coastal regions.
Baqaei argued that all parties benefiting from Strait of Hormuz shipping share responsibility for environmental damage, including energy-consuming nations, insurers, and military aggressors. He emphasized that Iran, with the region’s longest coastline, “cannot remain indifferent” to the pollution and said stakeholders have both a legal and moral duty to help remediate the harm.
Oil Spill Threatens Qeshm and Oman
Oil slicks have reached mangrove forests near Naqasheh on Qeshm Island’s southern coast, prompting authorities to monitor and begin cleanup efforts. The source of the pollution remains unidentified, while officials are assessing its spread and trying to prevent further contamination of the mangroves, reported Iran International.
Maritime intelligence firm TankerTrackers.com said the Qeshm pollution likely originated from oil spilled after the Minoan Pioneer was attacked off Oman on Aug. 3.
At the same time, a massive oil spill from the sanctioned tanker Caroline Bezengi, carrying around 800,000 barrels of Russian crude, is reaching Oman’s coastline after the vessel ran aground on June 30. Oman’s environment agency warned that up to 40 km of coast near Ras Madraka and Masirah Island could be affected, Reuters reported on Wednesday.
The tanker had first reported trouble off Yemen on June 8 following a suspected blast and was traveling through two active conflict zones. Complex war and sanctions rules are complicating the response to the oil spill. The IOPC Funds’ rules exclude compensation for pollution damage caused by an act of war or hostilities, potentially complicating Oman’s efforts to recover cleanup costs.
Hormuz Standoff Deepens Oil Supply Crisis
On Wednesday, the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) refuted President Donald Trump‘s claims that the U.S. had total control over the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that the waterway remained closed and that it “will not be reopened until Iran’s conditions are accepted.”
Meanwhile, the IEA expects global oil supply to fall by 4.3 million barrels per day, or about 4%, this year, as renewed hostilities in the Middle East disrupt production and shipping, deepening an oil market deficit, according to Reuters. Renewed fighting after the U.S.-Iran ceasefire has been followed by tanker attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
At the time of writing, Brent crude oil futures were trading 0.04% lower at $88.93 per barrel, while WTI crude futures were trading 0.17% lower at $83.13 per barrel.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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