Tehran was shrouded in thick black smoke on Monday after an oil refinery was struck, marking a sharp escalation in attacks on Iran’s domestic energy infrastructure as part of the ongoing US‑Israeli campaign.
The World Health Organization warned of “black rain” and acidic residue falling across parts of the capital, posing serious respiratory risks.
“The black rain and the acidic rain coming with it is indeed a danger for the population, respiratory mainly,” WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told reporters in Geneva. He said Iranian authorities had already advised residents to stay indoors guidance the WHO supported given the scale of the refinery fires and resulting air pollution.
One video shared with Reuters by a WHO staff member showed a cleaner mopping up black liquid that had pooled at the entrance of the organisation’s Tehran office on March 8, underscoring the severity of the fallout.
The refinery strike is the latest in a series of attacks targeting Iran’s energy sector, a critical pillar of its economy. With fires still burning and air quality deteriorating, health officials warn that the environmental impact could worsen in the coming days.
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