WANA (Mar 24) – Iran’s oil minister has called on the United Nations to condemn attacks by Israel and the United States on the country’s critical oil and gas infrastructure, warning of severe humanitarian and environmental consequences.

 

In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad said the strikes targeted key fuel storage facilities in Tehran and multiple gas refineries in the South Pars region in the northern Persian Gulf.

 

According to the letter, the attacks took place on March 7 and March 18, 2026, and went beyond limited military operations, amounting to what Iran called the start of a full-scale war against the country’s energy security and economy. Facilities in phases 5 through 10 and 15 and 16 of the South Pars gas field were reported as targets.

 

Paknejad also stated that the operations were carried out using the airspace of neighboring countries, highlighting the complex security dimensions of the incident and urging regional governments to take responsibility for actions launched from their territory.

 

The Iranian minister said the strikes caused extensive damage to infrastructure essential for maintaining the country’s energy network, resulting in billions of dollars in losses.

 

He warned of significant environmental damage, citing large-scale fires at oil and gas facilities that released substantial amounts of greenhouse gases and toxic pollutants into the atmosphere. The pollution, he said, poses serious risks to public health and the fragile ecosystem of the Persian Gulf.

 

Paknejad further stated that disruptions to gas supply chains have led to imbalances in electricity distribution across residential, industrial, and agricultural sectors, directly affecting millions of civilians and disrupting thousands of production units.

 

“Iran has never initiated aggression and does not seek to escalate tensions in the region,” the minister wrote, while criticizing inaction by some regional countries and the silence of international bodies.

 

He urged the United Nations to adopt a firm stance, calling for the immediate cessation of attacks, compensation for damages, and measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

 

“The role of the Secretary-General can be decisive in stopping these actions,” Paknejad added, expressing hope that the UN would act to restore peace, security, and international trust.