Why air strikes on Tehran oil facilities are causing black rain

March 10, 2026

Satellite imagery confirms that ongoing fires at multiple oil facilities around Tehran, struck during US-Israeli attacks beginning February 28, are releasing unprecedented levels of toxic air pollution across Iran's capital and surrounding areas home to over 10 million people. The incomplete combustion of oil is releasing dangerous chemicals including carbon monoxide, soot, sulfur oxides, and other harmful compounds, creating smog so thick residents report being unable to see the sun and experiencing "black rain" - precipitation darkened by collected pollutants. Health experts and the World Health Organization have issued warnings about both immediate respiratory impacts and long-term cancer risks, particularly for vulnerable populations including children and elderly residents.

Who is affected

Nearly 10 million residents of Tehran and millions more in surrounding areas
Children, older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions (specifically highlighted as most vulnerable)
Emergency workers inspecting damaged oil facilities
Tehran woman in her 20s quoted describing inability to see the sun and smell of burning

What action is being taken

Emergency workers are inspecting burned out oil tankers, blackened buildings and blazing fires at damaged sites
The World Health Organization is warning about health risks from the attacks on oil facilities
BBC Verify is monitoring satellite images and investigating the damage

Why it matters

This situation is unprecedented because oil refinery attacks of this scale are occurring in an extremely densely populated urban area, exposing millions to a dangerous mixture of toxic chemicals rarely seen outside severe industrial accidents. The pollution has both immediate health impacts on respiratory systems and long-lasting effects including increased cancer risk over many years. The combination of chemicals released from oil facility fires differs significantly from typical urban smog and poses severe risks to food, water, and air quality.

What's next

BBC Weather forecasts suggest spells of rain on Tuesday and again from Thursday onwards, as well as stronger breezes, which should help disperse and wash pollutants away. However, pollutants may enter rivers and waterways, or settle on ground and become resuspended in air after drying.

Read full article from source: BBC