Iran has blamed the presence of the United States military in the Gulf for environmental pollution following reports of several oil spills in the region.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei made the allegation on Monday during a news briefing, linking the environmental damage to US military operations and wars in the region.

“This environmental damage stems from the US military presence and the wars it has waged in the region over the past five decades,” Baqaei said.

He added that the environmental damage affecting the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman was not solely linked to the current conflict.

“The damage caused to the environment of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman is not solely linked to this war,” he said.

Baqaei called for the United States to be held accountable for the environmental damage, estimating the cost at “trillions of dollars.”

The statement followed an oil spill in the Strait of Hormuz that reached Iran’s Qeshm Island last week, affecting beaches and an environmentally sensitive mangrove forest.

Iran had called for compensation over the incident, with Baqaei previously citing preliminary evidence identifying a foreign bulk carrier as the source of the spill.

Iranian officials later said the oil slick had been completely cleaned up.

Meanwhile, Oman’s state media reported that an oil slick from a tanker that ran aground off the country had reached the coastline.

The incidents have raised fresh concerns over the environmental risks posed by oil transportation and military activity in the strategically important Gulf region.