Iran Sees 'Acid Rain' Due To US-Israeli Attacks Expert Warns Of Health Risks, Explains What Makes 'Black Rain'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Skies have turned black in Iran with the US and Israeli forces continuously pounding oil storage facilities in parts of the country. The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in India has now warned of severe health-related issues due to acid rain in Tehran.

In a post on X, the embassy said,“Following an attack on two oil storage facilities in Tehran last night, a layer of thick smoke has formed over the city."

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"As a result, today’s precipitation has turned acidic. Reports have already emerged of severe threats to public health due to today’s acidic rain in Tehran, including lung, eyes, and skin irritation in children and older age groups,” the embassy noted.

As the war in Iran entered the 13th day, several videos and images emerged on social media showing black, thick smoke filling up the skies.

One video sent to Reuters by a WHO staff member showed what they said was a cleaner mopping up black liquid at its office entrance in Tehran on March 8. Mint and Reuters were not able to independently verify the footage.

‘Black rain’

Several reports suggested that “black rain” was falling over parts of Iran in the hours after US-Israeli struck oil depots last weekend, with some outlets describing it as “acid rain”.

Amir Saeid Iravani, Permanent Representative of Iran to the United Nations, warned that US-Israeli strikes on fuel depots in Tehran released toxic pollutants into the atmosphere, posing serious health risks to civilians.

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According to Reuters, the World Health Organization (WHO) also warned on Tuesday that the “black rain” falling in Iran after strikes on oil facilities could cause respiratory problems. It backed Iran’s advisory urging people to remain indoors.

The UN health agency also claimed that it has received multiple reports of oil-laden rain this week.

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At a briefing in Geneva, Christian Lindmeier, a spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO), was quoted by Reuters as saying that possible “black rain” and acidic rainfall could pose respiratory risks, as authorities urge residents to stay indoors.

Asked whether the WHO backed that advice, he said: “Given what is at risk right now, the oil storage facilities, the refineries that have been struck, triggering fires, bringing serious air quality concerns, that is definitely a good idea.”

What is ‘acid rain’ in wake of US bombings in Iran?

An atmospheric chemist and chemical engineer who researches air pollution told The Conversation that this rain would include acids, but also likely a host of other pollutants that are harmful to humans and the environment in the short and long term.

It may even be worse than the term “acid rain” conveys.

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The expert wrote that more broadly, the thick clouds of toxic smoke over densely populated areas in Iran are also a major problem for anyone breathing this air right now.

The expert said one of the primary ways air pollutants are removed from the atmosphere is through rain. “When you have significant levels of pollutants in the air, they will be collected by falling water droplets and ‘rain out’ of the atmosphere,” the article read.

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“That’s why we are getting these reports of black rain falling from the sky after the oil depots were struck – evidence of just how contaminated the local air must be,” the expert explained.

He added, “To me, this black rain indicates that toxic pollutants such as hydrocarbons, ultrafine particles known as PM2.5, and carcinogenic compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have made their way into the rain.”

On top of this, there would be a mix of other unknown chemicals, likely including heavy metals and inorganic compounds from the building materials and everything else caught up in the initial explosions and the ensuing fires.

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The smoke from the bombed oil depots would also contain sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, which are precursors to forming sulfuric acid and nitric acid in the air.

This acid then makes its way into water droplets and is responsible for what we conventionally label acid rain," the expert explained

Health risks due to ‘acid rain’

Iranian residents reported headaches, difficulty breathing, and oil-contaminated rain settling on buildings and cars. Iran’s Red Crescent Society warned rainfall following the strikes could be “highly dangerous and acidic.”

Experts also warned of headaches or difficulty breathing, especially if they have asthma or lung disease.

Vulnerable populations – such as older people, young children and people with disabilities – are more at risk. Exposure to toxic air pollution during pregnancy can also lead to lower birth weights.

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In the longer term, exposure to the compounds in the air and in this black rain is potentially increasing people’s cancer risk. When ultrafine particles (PM2.5) are inhaled, they can get into your bloodstream.

This has been linked to a range of health impacts, including cancers, neurological conditions (such as cognitive impairment), and various cardiovascular conditions.

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Once these heavily polluted plumes of air have their pollutants washed into natural waterways, they can also start to affect aquatic life, as well as human drinking water sources.

Another issue is that this black rain is depositing these compounds on buildings, roads and surfaces, which means they can make their way back into the air when disturbed by strong winds, The Conversation reported.

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