MOSCOW, March 18. /TASS/. Strikes on Iran have already caused environmental pollution, threatening to spread across the entire Middle East, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing.
"In Iran, strikes are targeting oil storage facilities that are located close to the country’s densely populated capital. This has caused large-scale environmental pollution in and around Tehran," the diplomat pointed out.
According to her, the World Health Organization has assessed that the epidemiological and environmental situation has deteriorated significantly in the region, which is leading to a rise in respiratory diseases and eye and skin lesions as large volumes of toxic substances have contaminated soil, water, and food.
"A layer formed of blast debris, oil combustion products, parts of destroyed military equipment and ammunition, household and construction waste, chemicals, tires, and decaying biomass paves the way for an unprecedented emission of additional greenhouse gases, a rise in the contamination of soil, groundwater, and coastal waters not only in Iran but in the entire region, which will then spread further," Zakharova added.