Continued Clean-up of Qeshm’s Coastline: Protecting the Environment Amid the Impacts of War and Conflict

The collection and containment of oil pollution along the coastlines of Qeshm and Hengam islands are continuing, with environmental authorities, the Qeshm Free Zone Organization, and local and civil society groups working to prevent the spread of pollution and protect the region’s sensitive ecosystems.

In the Shib Deraz coastal area, tugboats and operational vessels have been deployed, while containment booms have been placed in the water to control and collect the oil. In the vicinity of Naqqasheh village and the mangrove forests, teams from the Qeshm Free Zone, in cooperation with the Department of Environment, are also carrying out manual clean-up operations.

The eastern sandy shores of Hengam Island are another affected area, where tar balls have been observed and are being collected with the participation of local communities. Soza, Shib Deraz, Naqqasheh, and parts of Hengam Island are among the areas affected by the oil pollution.

Beyond their devastating human and economic consequences, war and armed conflict can also cause serious and, in some cases, long-lasting damage to the environment—from the contamination of water and soil to the destruction of habitats and threats to wildlife and plant species. Environmental protection and the assessment and mitigation of environmental damage should therefore be considered an integral part of humanitarian and emergency response efforts.

Since the outbreak of conflict in the Persian Gulf, the environmental condition of this fragile ecosystem has unfortunately become increasingly vulnerable. The presence and activities of various military forces, combined with restrictions on access and the disruption of routine environmental monitoring and conservation activities, have made it more difficult to carry out regular environmental protection, monitoring, and conservation measures. This highlights the need to ensure that environmental protection remains a priority even during periods of conflict and insecurity.