Oil spill in Iran’s Persian Gulf chokes turtle nesting sanctuary

On 2026-05-05, Iranian environmental teams reported oil contamination on Lavan Island and along the facing mainland shoreline at Bandar Mogham after an attack on the Lavan refinery. Officials said the spill had reached protected Shidvar Island and critical hawksbill turtle nesting and seabird breeding grounds during nesting season. The full scale of damage was still being assessed.