Why opposing the Islamic Republic must not mean accepting devastation or environmental damage.

Mehrdad Aref-Adib: 

I stand in solidarity with Iran and with the Iranian people.

I should say this clearly. I have long been opposed to the Islamic Republic. Like many Iranians, I hope for a free and democratic future for Iran.

Watching the news of the past few days has been deeply painful. According to reporting in the Guardian’s live coverage of the crisis, “Overnight strikes by the US and Israel hit five oil sites around Tehran,” with Iranian officials saying the facilities were damaged, though the fires were later brought under control.

Beyond the immediate human toll, such attacks can also cause serious environmental damage. Strikes on oil and fuel facilities release toxic smoke and pollutants into the air, while burning fuel and damaged infrastructure can contaminate soil, water and the food chain. The ecological consequences can affect public health, ecosystems and life long after the explosions end.

Political systems can change. Governments can fall. Yet the destruction of a country, its infrastructure, and the lives of ordinary people leaves scars that last for generations.

Opposing the Islamic Republic should never mean indifference to the suffering of the Iranian people or to the damage done to the country itself.

Iran’s future should be shaped by its people, not by bombs.