Tehran woke up to thick black clouds and fears of toxic rain after airstrikes by the United States and Israel struck refineries and oil storage sites in the Iranian capital.
Smoke from fires overnight hung over the capital, casting a dark haze across the city as morning broke, AFP journalists said. Residents reported the smell of burning lingering in the air, with many saying it appeared dark even as the sun rose and rain poured on the city.
The Iranian Red Crescent warned that explosions at oil depots had released dangerous pollutants into the air.
The agency said the blasts released "significant quantities of toxic hydrocarbon compounds, sulfur, and nitrogen oxides".
🇮🇷 The fuel storage strikes aren't just killing people today. They're creating a cancer epidemic 30 years from now. When petroleum burns, it releases sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and toxic hydrocarbons. When those mix with rain, they become sulfuric acid and nitric acid.… https://t.co/If6ZGIcHx3pic.twitter.com/GZ3gzOWjIR— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) March 8, 2026
"In the event of precipitation, the resulting rain is extremely dangerous and highly acidic," it added in a statement, warning of skin burns and severe lung damage.
Iran’s environmental authorities urged residents to remain indoors to avoid respiratory problems and other health risks.
Officials also said the country’s oil depots had adequate fuel reserves despite the attacks.
Meanwhile, Israel launched a new wave of strikes, this time targeting infrastructure in central Iran, as the expanding war sent stocks plunging and crude prices surging 30 percent on supply disruption fears.
Saudi Arabia intercepted drones headed for an eastern oil field, while the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait reported missile attacks and Bahrain said sirens were activated.
Khamenei's appointment was announced on Iranian state television, with the presenter solemnly reading a statement from the 88-member Assembly of Experts next to a picture of the new 56-year-old leader.
Khamenei "is appointed and introduced as the third leader of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran, based on the decisive vote of the respected representatives of the Assembly of Experts", the statement said.
It said the clerical body "did not hesitate for a minute" in choosing a new leader despite "the brutal aggression of the criminal America and the evil Zionist regime".
State media then showed a projectile said to be launched at Israel bearing the slogan, "At Your Command, Sayyid Mojtaba", using an Islamic honorific.
The war came weeks after Iranian security forces crushed nationwide protests against the government, killing thousands. The younger Khamenei is considered a fellow hardliner who will pursue his father's rejection of dissent.
*With Agency Inputs
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