According to KhabarOnline, Omid Sedighi, the Director General of Marine Pollution at the Department of Environment, commented on the latest status of oil pollution along the shores of Qeshm, stating that in recent days, oil pollution originating from the sea has approached the shores of Iran, primarily affecting the southern coasts of Qeshm. A portion of this pollution has also reached the northeastern part of Hengam Island. He added that the main polluted areas in southern Qeshm include the shores of Shibdaraz, the village of Souza, and the Naqashah region, with pollution also observed in the northeastern part of Hengam Island.
Sedighi noted that extensive measures have been undertaken over the past four to five days to clean these areas, with the Department of Environment, local communities, and the Qeshm Free Zone collaborating in the cleanup operations. The polluted areas have also been assessed by the Department of Environment.
Regarding the method of cleaning the shores from oil, Sedighi continued: “According to Article 11 of the ‘Law on the Protection of Navigable Seas and Rivers Against Pollution by Oil Materials,’ the Ports and Maritime Organization is the main authority responsible for combating oil pollution at sea.” In this context, the oil slicks present in coastal waters have been addressed using absorbent equipment and materials to reduce the concentration of oil and prevent a larger volume from reaching the shores.
He explained that the oil that has reached and dried on the shore has been collected from the surface layer using machinery and equipment, and subsequently, manual cleanup operations have been carried out by local community members and environmental personnel. Additionally, absorbent pads that have collected the oil and the gathered materials are being transferred to the waste management site in Qeshm for proper disposal.
Referring to the deployment of a vessel to combat oil pollution, Sedighi stated that approximately two days ago, an oil pollution response vessel was dispatched by the Ports Organization to the waters south of Qeshm to manage the oil slicks. He added that a specialized ship named ‘Daryapak’ has also set sail from Bushehr towards Bandar Abbas and Qeshm, expected to arrive in the area tomorrow. This vessel has a very effective performance and can collect oil using its large arms and transfer it to storage tanks. Therefore, the arrival of this vessel will accelerate the cleanup operations.
The Director General of Marine Pollution at the Department of Environment indicated that the exact volume of oil that has entered the region is still unclear, stating that according to the latest statistics provided by his colleagues, approximately 3.2 hectares of the region’s shores have been contaminated. About 950 meters of this pollution is related to the shores of Souza, approximately 700 meters pertains to the Naqashah region, and a similar amount is associated with the shores of Shibdaraz.
Sedighi mentioned that in some areas, oil has penetrated to a depth of 10 to 20 centimeters in the seabed, which requires additional operations for complete cleanup. However, he noted that the challenge is that new pollution is re-entering the area from the sea, causing parts of the cleaned regions to become contaminated again.
Regarding the origin of the oil pollution along the shores of Qeshm, Sedighi stated that the source of this pollution is not from their facilities, and investigations by colleagues indicate that the pollution has entered from the sea. One possibility is that the pollution is linked to one of these incidents, but it cannot yet be definitively stated.
Sedighi continued that the pollution has moved from the sea, likely from the Strait of Hormuz, towards the shores, with reports also suggesting that pollution has reached the shores of Oman.
Hamid Bord, Deputy Minister of Oil and CEO of the National Iranian Oil Company, also refuted claims circulating on social media regarding the connection between the oil slicks and the oil facilities in Qeshm, stating that the oil facilities of the National Iranian Oil Company in Qeshm are very limited and are currently closed due to maintenance. He emphasized that there are no extensive facilities for oil production in Qeshm that could be considered the source of such pollution, thus firmly denying any connection between the oil slicks and the oil facilities in the region.
He remarked on the conditions for vessel traffic in the area, stating that if there is oil pollution, its source should be investigated along the routes taken by oil tankers and marine vessels, and this matter is unrelated to the facilities managed by the National Iranian Oil Company. The operations for the production, transfer, and loading of oil at the facilities managed by the National Iranian Oil Company are fully, accurately, and continuously monitored, and no pollution resulting from these processes has been reported.
The CEO of the National Iranian Oil Company also deemed the claims made by some media outlets regarding oil being released into the sea as lacking expert basis, stating that industry professionals and experts know well that such claims do not align with the technical principles and operational mechanisms of the oil industry.
Shina Ansari, the head of the Department of Environment, also referred to the oil pollution along the southern shores of Qeshm and Hengam Island on her personal page on the social media platform X, stating that the oil pollution in these areas is part of the evident consequences of military aggressions imposed on the coastal and marine ecosystem of the country.
Regarding the impact of oil on sensitive habitats in Qeshm and Hengam, Sedighi stated that the turtle nesting beaches are being monitored around the clock by environmental colleagues. Several turtles have been observed in the area, and his colleagues are assessing their condition, and if they are found to be contaminated, necessary actions will be taken to remove, wash, and transfer them to clean waters. He emphasized that cleaning the shores of Shibdaraz is a priority, as the turtle nesting season begins in Bahman and Esfand, necessitating that cleanup operations be completed before then to prevent pollution from affecting this sensitive habitat.
Regarding the damage to the mangrove forests in the Naqashah region, the Director General of Marine Pollution at the Department of Environment stated that there are a few mangrove trees in that area, which are not part of the protected regions. Nonetheless, cleanup operations are ongoing, and environmental colleagues are actively following up on this matter. According to Sedighi, the response and cleanup operations continue, but the re-entry of pollution from the sea has caused some previously cleaned areas to become contaminated again, and with the arrival of the vessel ‘Daryapak,’ it is expected that the collection of pollution will proceed more rapidly.
