Satellite Imagery Shows 70km Oil Slick Off Iran’s Kharg Island

Satellite imagery has revealed a 70-kilometer oil slick spreading south from Kharg Island off Iran. The island handles 90 percent of the country’s crude exports. A second leak is reported to be forming nearby. Iran denied any involvement in dumping oil and pointed to the U.S. military campaign as the cause.

Researchers said spills of this kind have become a pattern since the war began in the region. The area cannot sustain repeated incidents of this scale.

The slick was identified through satellite imagery that tracked its southward movement from the island. Imagery also indicated the possible formation of a second leak in close proximity. No official measurements of the volume of oil released have been released.

Iran denied any dumping had occurred from its facilities or operations. Officials attributed the spill directly to actions connected with the U.S. military campaign. The denial was issued in response to the imagery showing the extended slick.

“Iran denied any dumping and pointed the finger at the U.S. The repeated nature of the spills has raised operational concerns for crude export infrastructure at Kharg Island. No further details on the source of the current spill have been confirmed by independent parties.”