According to the satellite images, a massive oil slick is spreading near Iran’s Kharg Island — the largest oil terminal, oil pipelines, and storage tanks of the Islamic Republic.
Satellite imagery revealed an oil slick spreading off the coast of Iran’s Kharg Island, a crucial oil export terminal for the Islamic Republic.
It was not immediately clear what caused the spill, which occurred off the western coast of the small Gulf island.
Orbital EOS, a company that monitors oil spills, told The New York Times that by Thursday, the slick appeared to cover an area of more than 20 square miles (52 square kilometers).
The Conflict and Environment Observatory, a non-governmental organization, stated on X that “the original source remains unclear; meanwhile, it is drifting southward, and it appears unlikely that it will be properly addressed.”
Kharg Island serves as the hub of Iran’s oil export industry—a vital component of the country’s ailing economy. It is situated off Iran’s Gulf coast, hundreds of kilometers northwest of the narrow, strategic Strait of Hormuz.
On February 28, at the onset of its conflict with the United States and Israel, Iran effectively closed off the Strait. Since then, the U.S. has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports, leaving numerous tankers stranded in the region.
Kharg Island houses Iran’s largest oil terminal, along with oil pipelines, storage tanks, and associated infrastructure.
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