Is war turning Tehran’s air into a chemical weapon?

Strikes on Tehran's oil infrastructure have triggered black rain carrying toxic chemical fallout across the Iranian capital's air, soil, and water supplies. The fires at oil facilities release hazardous compounds—including sulfur dioxide and other petroleum byproducts—that mix with precipitation and distribute pollutants across the region. The contamination poses immediate health risks to Tehran's roughly 9 million residents and threatens agricultural areas and water sources surrounding the city. Environmental and public health officials face pressure to assess the scale of the chemical dispersal and determine safe exposure thresholds for a population with limited warning systems.