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The Conversation
The Conversation
Armin Sorooshian, Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona

In war-torn Iran, air pollution from burning oil depots and bombed buildings unleashes invisible health threats

A woman sifts through the rubble in her home after it was damaged by a missile on March 15, 2026, in Tehran. Majid Saeedi/Getty Images

The waves of U.S. and Israeli bomb strikes in Tehran and Beirut, and Iran’s missile and drone attacks on neighboring countries in response, are damaging more than buildings – they are sending toxic debris into the air in cities that are home to millions of people.

Military strikes have hit Iran’s missile stockpiles, nuclear facilities and oil refineries. When a strike set fire to an oil depot, it sent toxic black clouds billowing over Tehran and created oily rain that settled on buildings, cars and people. Residents described having headaches and difficulty breathing.

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