‘Black rain’: Iran war’s toxic pollution will spread and last for decades

AI Summary

Israeli drone strikes on Iranian oil depots and refineries near Tehran have released toxic black smoke that mixed with rain, causing 'black rain' to fall on the city. The environmental and health consequences of the strikes are expected to persist for decades, spreading toxic pollution across the region. The incident underscores the long-term environmental costs of modern warfare targeting energy infrastructure.

News of black rain falling on Tehran felt all too familiar to Nejat Rahmanian as he scrolled through alerts on social media feeds and tried to contact relatives on March 8. Israeli drone strikes hit giant oil depots and refineries on the outskirts of the Iranian capital a few hours earlier, setting fuel on fire and releasing columns of black smoke, which mixed with rain clouds that poured toxic chemicals onto the city later in the day. The descriptions reminded the Iranian researcher of a...