Iran War Sparks Public Health and Environmental Crisis

Residents of Tehran have been waking up to smoke-filled skies, blackened mornings, and toxic black rain coating surfaces since the United States and Israel initiated military actions against Iran earlier this month. Bombings of the city’s oil depots have produced massive plumes of black smoke rising high above the area. Reports from Tehran describe these alarming conditions.

The World Health Organization recently stated that the black and acidic rain caused by these bombings constitutes "a danger for the population." The WHO highlighted potential respiratory problems, especially threatening individuals with pre-existing conditions such as asthma.

A March report from the Conflict and Environment Observatory elaborated that such plumes may contain particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and toxic organic compounds—including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and potentially dioxins—posing significant health risks to communities downwind.

Beyond immediate health concerns, burning oil depots present severe environmental threats. Prolonged conflict will increase carbon emissions, with no end currently in sight as U.S. and Israeli forces continue their bombardments. The ongoing war in Ukraine has already demonstrated how military conflicts can release tens of millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change.

Michael Oppenheimer, professor of geosciences and international affairs at Princeton University, told Rolling Stone that at this stage, the primary concern is public health rather than long-term climate impact.

“Based on analyses after the Gulf War, when numerous oil wells in Kuwait were set on fire, the long-term global climate impact was probably minimal,” Oppenheimer explained. “However, it will cause a regional air pollution problem for some time.”

He added that heavy particles like soot will contaminate the local environment, while micro-particulates can travel hundreds of miles, infiltrating people’s lungs. The fires could also threaten water supplies and agriculture.

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“Besides those directly harmed or killed by military actions, there are indirect effects such as oil contaminating water supplies, seeping into the ground, and polluting streams, rivers, and reservoirs,” Oppenheimer said. “The Gulf region is very arid and has limited surface water, so pollution of these sources is especially concerning.”

Iran was already facing a severe water shortage before the war began. The U.S. also recently struck a desalination plant in the region, cutting off water supplies to 30 nearby villages. Continued attacks on such facilities could worsen the water crisis.

Pollution from recent bombings of oil depots has already reached agricultural areas. Oppenheimer noted that particles from the fires can introduce toxins into the soil, which crops may absorb. Iran is also experiencing a food shortage.

“Those particles are harmful to human health even at relatively low levels,” Oppenheimer emphasized.

Michael Mann, distinguished professor of earth and environmental science at the University of Pennsylvania, expressed concern about the “immediate respiratory impacts” and the “long-term health consequences of potentially carcinogenic toxic chemicals” to which Iranians are exposed.

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“To me, it’s almost a metaphor for what makes Donald Trump so dangerous,” Mann said. “He’s threatening our world in so many ways.”

Military vehicles in the region—including ships and jets—also contribute to carbon emissions and pollution, further harming the environment and accelerating climate change. “As the war continues, military operations themselves will add to carbon dioxide emissions and other forms of pollution,” Oppenheimer noted.

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While images of explosions and gunfire often focus on immediate casualties—such as the at least 175 people, mostly children, killed in a strike on an elementary school for which the U.S. appears responsible—the indirect consequences may be even more devastating. The environmental damage, along with impacts on food and water supplies, could threaten the region’s population for years to come. Unfortunately, those responsible for the conflict are unlikely to prioritize these concerns.

“Every time we’ve seen this happen in combat situations, it’s the same story all over again,” Oppenheimer said. “Governments seem to forget about it, and then they go and do it again.”