Residents of Tehran and nearby regions awoke last week to a grim and hazardous environment, as buildings, vehicles, and roads were coated in soot.
Thick, black, oily precipitation fell from the sky, while the air turned toxic, leaving many with inflamed lungs, sore lips, and burning eyes.
The environmental fallout followed airstrikes by US and Israeli forces targeting Iran’s oil infrastructure.
The attacks triggered massive releases of toxic smoke, which later descended back to the ground in the form of what has been described as dangerous “black rain.” The severity of the situation has led international health authorities, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), to warn the public about serious health risks.
In an official statement, the IDF said it had “struck a number of fuel storage facilities in Tehran,” alleging that these sites were being used by Iran’s military “to operate military infrastructure, including military entities in Iran.”
Following the strikes, residents reported breathing difficulties and eye irritation as dark, oily rainfall spread across the capital and surrounding areas.
The military action coincided with a warning from US President Donald Trump, who posted on Truth Social that “today Iran will be hit very hard.”
Soon after, large plumes of dense black smoke were observed not only over Tehran but across parts of the Middle East, as tensions escalated further. Iran has since launched retaliatory strikes targeting several Gulf nations, raising concerns that the environmental and health impacts could extend beyond its borders if the conflict intensifies.
Health experts have issued urgent advisories regarding exposure to the toxic rainfall, cautioning that contact with the substance could result in both immediate and long-term health complications. Since the strikes began on February 28, the BBC has confirmed at least four attacks on oil facilities around Tehran.
With a population of nearly 10 million in Tehran alone—and millions more in surrounding areas—the scale of potential exposure is significant. Residents have described heavy smog blanketing the city, with pollution so dense it was “blocking out the sun” and accompanied by a strong burning odor in multiple districts.
Specialists warn that the volume of pollutants released into the atmosphere may be “unprecedented,” particularly in areas where oil facilities were hit. Dr Akshay Deoras, a research scientist at the University of Reading, told BBC: “What has happened [in Iran] is definitely unprecedented because it’s all coming in from missiles dropping in and airstrikes on oil refineries.”
