Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson accused US and Israel of ‘chemical warfare’

ByDavid Brennan, Jon Haworth, Kevin Shalvey, Leah Sarnoff, Meredith Deliso, and Nadine El-Bawab

Last Updated: March 8, 2026

A spokesperson of Iran's foreign ministry said Sunday that the United States and Israel have taken the war into a "dangerous new phase" with attacks on Iran's energy infrastructure.

"These attacks on fuel storage facilities amount to nothing less than intentional chemical warfare against the Iranian citizens," Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesperson for the foreign ministry, said in a post on X.

Following the attacks on oil depots of Tehran's oil depots, Iran's environmental protection agency and the Red Crescent Society warned about the risks of acid rain over the capital.

The deputy head of emergency training in Tehran, however, warned that the risk of inhaling toxic gases is greater than acid rain due to the pollution from the attack on fuel tanks in Tehran. He urged citizens to stay indoors as much as possible and avoid unnecessary outdoor activities.

-ABC News' Somayeh Malekian