Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused Israel of committing ecocide and violating international law by bombing fuel depots.

In a post on X, the Iranian Foreign Minister said that Israel must be “punished for its war crimes”.

“Israel’s bombings of fuel depots in Tehran violate international law and constitute ecocide. Residents face long-term damage to their health and well-being. Contamination of soil and groundwater could have generational impacts. Israel must be punished for its war crimes,” Araghchi said, posting an image showing plumes of smoke above a building. 

The U.S. and Israel launched what they described as a pre-emptive strike against Iran on February 28, claiming that Tehran was developing a nuclear weapon and posed a threat—an allegation Iran has denied. In response, Iran launched counterattacks, firing missiles and drones at Israel, as well as at U.S. assets and other targets across the Middle East.