No War With Iran

The Climate Justice Committee condemns the joint strikes by the United States and Israel on several Iranian oil storage facilities in Tehran on March 7th. These airstrikes caused massive destruction and firefighting efforts are ongoing in the Capitol city. These are not “precision strikes on military targets”; this is chemical warfare waged on civilians.

Targeting civilian oil facilities in a city of 9 million people is tantamount to chemical warfare. Burning this much oil in a major population center has caused untold damage to the air and water Iranians need to survive. Reports indicate the US and Israeli bombing spilled oil into the public aqueduct system used to water public greenery where it ignited and caused a series of explosions. These explosions spread the fires for blocks throughout the city. Massive, black rain clouds blotted out the sun on Sunday morning as Iranians awoke to potentially contaminated water supplies. As of Sunday March 8, videos from Tehran show the rain contains oily black streaks.

Oil contamination of rainwater can cause severe chemical burns upon skin contact, lung damage, and long term health effects. Right now Tehran is covered in an inky black rain. The Iranian Red Crescent warned Tehran residents about limiting skin exposure to the rain, as well as protecting food products. They stated the rain tested extremely corrosive and could even damage buildings. 

Beyond its human cost, war is the biggest cause of ecocide and environmental destruction. The cost of these strikes - not only to the people of Iran, but to the entire surrounding environment, are immeasurable. The Climate Justice Committee condemns these criminal actions and calls on the US and Israel to cease their illegal and environmentally destructive aggression against Iran