An oil slick spreading over more than 50 km² has been detected in the Gulf off the Iranian island of Kharg, through which 90% of Iranian crude oil normally passes, according to satellite images released on Friday by the CEOBS observatory.
According to the New York Times (NYT), the slick extended on Thursday over more than 50 km², based on satellite images analyzed by the specialized firm Orbital EOS. According to the American newspaper, “more than 3000 barrels of oil” could be in the sea. The island of Kharg, located in the northern Gulf, is the main Iranian oil terminal, through which 90% of the Islamic Republic’s crude oil normally passes.
At the end of March, the American president, Donald Trump, had threatened to “destroy” the island of Kharg if Iran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz to navigation. Hundreds of ships, including oil tankers, are stuck in the Gulf following this blockade, compounded by an American blockade of Iranian ports. According to the CEOBS, the oil slick is drifting south and “it seems unlikely that it will be treated appropriately”. The island of Kharg is a small scrubland strip located about 30 km from the Iranian coast and over 500 km from the Strait of Hormuz.
