Attacks on oil infrastructure endangering marine life in Persian Gulf, research finds
The study found that the conflict has compounded existing climate-change pressures, warning that the resulting ecological damage could affect desalination and agriculture.
The Iran war has severely threatened sensitive marine and coastal ecosystems across the Persian Gulf, according to a study published in the International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science. The conflict has compounded existing pressures from climate change, coastal development, and unsustainable exploitation, putting at risk the region's rich biodiversity which includes over 700 fish species and habitats for various marine animals.
Oil spills, military strikes, and damage to coastal infrastructure have endangered coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, wetlands, and marine life, with the potential to undermine fisheries, aquaculture, desalination, and ecotourism. The study specifically highlights the Iranian vessel Shahid Bagheri, which was confirmed to have been leaking heavy oil into the Khuran Strait, threatening the Hara wetlands and the protected Hara Biosphere Reserve.
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