Iran labels strikes on fuel depots as “chemical warfare”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has condemned recent attacks on the country’s fuel storage facilities, calling them equivalent to chemical warfare against Iranian civilians.

A spokesperson for the Islamic Republic’s ministry, Esmail Baghaei, said on X that the strikes mark a dangerous new phase in what he described as the “criminal war” by the United States and Israel against the Iranian people.

“By targeting fuel depots, the aggressors are releasing hazardous materials and toxic substances into the air, poisoning civilians, devastating the environment, and endangering lives on a massive scale. The consequences of this environmental and humanitarian catastrophe will not be confined within Iran's borders. These strikes constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide—all at once,” he said.