War in Iran and its Environmental Impact: Truth About the Climate Emergency

Section Editor Siya Pujari scrutinises the present ignorance of environmental devastation emerging from acts of war and its harsh impact on the climate crisis

In the current age, all actions now undertaken by any military exist in the context of a climate emergency. The political nuance surrounding the latest attacks on Iran, spearheaded by the United States (‘US’), has clouded the discussion of a crucial topic – the climate impact of mass war crimes orchestrated by nations such as the US who maintain a distinctive position in the global order.  

As per studies done by the Climate and Community Institute, the first two weeks of the military attacks against Iran have produced over five million metric tons of carbon emissions, polluting the atmosphere. 

The Israeli attack on Iran’s oil reserves has also resulted in toxic rain falling onto the Iranian people, with a vast black cloud overtaking the nation’s sky [3]. Due to this, chemicals, heavy metals and other foreign pollutants have entered all the systems of Iran, such as drinking water, soil used for agriculture and individual human bodies. As put forth by AP News, direct attacks on oil resources are deeply harmful to the environment as they impact the holistic surroundings by damaging air quality, soil and water pollution. The most visible environmental impact of the attacks on Iran has been the oil rain. Due to the impact of missile strikes on oil reserves and refineries, soot, ash and toxic chemicals combined with the water in the atmosphere to collate and fall back onto Iranian land in the form of oily and acidic rain. Oil rain, through the microscopic soot contained within it, can be extremely harmful to the human body. Similar to bushfire smoke, which also contains microscopic particles of soot, these specks can enter the body and increase the risk of lung and heart problems [4]. 

In terms of access to resources, the US airstrikes have also limited Iranians’ access to drinking water. A strike conducted by the US military hit a desalination plant that supplies a significant portion of drinking water to Iranian citizens. With the region already struggling with having access to clean water, this invasive strike has multiplied a pre-existing struggle faced by Iranians and worsened the infrastructural solutions that were central to a human rights problem [4]. The long-term impacts of this oil-dense rain will not be fully understood for potential decades. 

The relevance of Iran’s notable oil reserves does appear to be self-evident, with US President Donald Trump’s desire to gain control over global oil resources holding precedent in the US’ attack in Venezuela earlier this year. 

However, the focus on the immediate physical damage caused by actions of war tends to mute the conversation about the gradual climate impact those actions will cause on the victims of attacks. 

The immense usage of fossil fuels utilised in war actions by global militaries, especially due to their transport systems, should not be ignored either. According to Neta Crawford, professor at Oxford University, the “US Department of Defence is the largest institutional emitter of greenhouse gases globally” [1]. 

According to The Nation, Russia’s war in Ukraine has

generated emissions equivalent to the annual emissions created by France. These large amounts of emissions categorically create significant consequences in the forms of increased temperatures, extreme weather events and the destabilisation of economies [1].  

The centrality of climate change in the deliberation around war tends to be underestimated. As put by The Nation: “As with most wars, so with climate change: The poor and the innocent suffer most. Climate change is not peripheral but structurally embedded in modern warfare” [1]. 

The political tension that directly precedes and succeeds acts of war is deeply significant to discussions about the dichotomy of war and the climate crisis. The delicate relations between domestic and international actors are at risk when acts of war occur. The increased globalisation creates a reliance on treaties and intercontinental trade pertaining to climate acts and sources of energy. When the pressures of war emerge, these pre-established cooperative fields are placed under duress. With the example of the Ukraine war, the scientific cooperation between Western nations and Russia has decreased, leading to limited climate data gathered [2]. 

Climate change and its harmful ramifications as a potential ‘threat multiplier’ have been proven by the recent attacks on Iran. As climate change and global warming alter the baseline conditions of living for all nations, the pre-existing food and water insecurity, political conflicts and resource contentions will only increase due to the pressure of the changing environmental circumstances. 

by Siya Pujari

References

[1] Hertsgaard, M. & Trendle, G. (2026, March 5). The Iran War Is Also a Climate War. The Nation. https://www.thenation.com/article/environment/iran-war-climate-change/ 

[2] Depledge, D. (2025, September 3). Three reasons why the climate crisis must reshape how we think about war. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/three-reasons-why-the-climate-crisis-must-reshape-how-we-think-about-war-262469 

[3] Zhang, S. (2026, March 23). 2 Weeks of Iran War Released More Carbon Emissions Than 84 Countries Do Yearly. Truthout. https://truthout.org/articles/2-weeks-of-iran-war-released-more-carbon-emissions-than-84-countries-do-yearly/

[4] Webber, Tammy. (2026, March 27). Iran war’s environmental toll could leave damage and health risks for decades, experts say. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/iran-war-environmental-destruction-health-risks-8a2fd4fa7e2f96686bc6559e2dade93c