Iraq Environmental Agency Flags Cross-Border Pollution Risks

The Iraq Green Observatory (IGO) has raised concerns about potential environmental damage linked to missile and rocket debris falling in neighboring Iran, warning that the effects could extend to Iraq.

The observatory said remnants of weapons used in recent strikes may be contributing to air and soil pollution. The exact types of munitions are yet to be disclosed and this lack of transparency, the IGO says, has made it difficult to accurately assess the scale of the environmental risks posed. However, it has warned that some materials could pose long term hazards if carried across borders by regional air currents.

The agency also highlighted the possibility that rainfall and flooding could transport contaminated particles, potentially affecting farmland and water sources. This has prompted calls for increased monitoring of agricultural imports from Iran, particularly fruit and vegetables, amid concerns about possible exposure to harmful substances. According to a report released by Iran’s National Center for Strategic Studies of Agriculture and Water earlier this year, Iraq accounts for 39% of Iranian agricultural commodity exports.

Rainfall in Iran can reach Iraq through a combination of shared weather systems and connected waterways. Much of Western Iran is mountainous, so heavy rain flows downhill into rivers that run westwards across the border into Iraq. Several of these rivers are part of shared waters, allowing water and any pollutants it carries to move between the two countries.

These warnings come in the aftermath of a powerful storm which hit Iran and the Arabian Peninsula at the end of last month. Some areas reportedly experienced “more than a year’s worth of precipitation over just a few days.”

The IGO has therefore called on authorities to investigate the nature of the weapons used and to strengthen environmental oversight mechanisms. It emphasised that, without coordinated action, the potential cross-border impact on public health and ecosystems could be significant.

Source: Iraq Green Observatory