Poor gasoline refining fuels Iran's cancer crisis, expert warns
The use of poorly refined gasoline, a major source of air pollution in Iran, is driving the country's cancer crisis, a Mashhad University of Medical Sciences professor has warned.
The use of poorly refined gasoline, a major source of air pollution in Iran, is driving the country's cancer crisis, a Mashhad University of Medical Sciences professor has warned.
Speaking to ILNA, Mohammadreza Ghavam Nasiri said on Wednesday, "Smoking can lead to irreversible changes in respiratory cells, while air pollution, exacerbated by low-quality fuel, significantly impacts cancer incidence".
International sanctions on Iran, particularly those targeting the oil and energy sectors, have played a significant role in the production of low-quality gasoline within the country, the pollutants from which can cause a range of illnesses from cancer to cardiovascular disease.
Sanctions have restricted Iran's access to advanced refining technologies, equipment, and chemical additives required for producing high-quality fuels that meet international standards.
Air pollution remains a critical issue in Iran’s major cities, including Tehran and Ahvaz, where vehicle emissions and traffic congestion contribute to smog events.
Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi in December reported over 40,000 deaths in a year linked to pollution, mainly from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as cancer.
In January, Abbas Shahsavani, the head of the Air Health and Climate Change Group of the Ministry of Health, said that air pollution in Iran claimed the lives of over 30,000 people and cost the country an estimated $12 billion in last Iranian year, a 17% increase compared to the previous year, when 26,307 deaths were recorded.
The new drone which was unveiled in early January has a range of 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) and an operating time of 20 minutes.
"Rezvan is similar to the Russian-made Lancet and Israeli-made Hero drones," a Telegram channel affiliated with the IRGC reported Tuesday.
The drone has been designed for rapid deployment and targeted attacks, particularly in complex terrain, according to the IRGC.
The suicide drone is fired from a cylindrical launcher and transmits live video to the operator, allowing for precise target selection and engagement, IRGC media Tasnim reported.
Iran has been conducting multiple military exercises in the past few weeks, including air defense drills near nuclear sites like Natanz and a 110,000-strong Basij mobilization in Tehran, to showcase its capabilities and project a message of strength in the region, following consecutive defeats for its allies since September.
IRGC commander-in-chief Hossein Salami said earlier this month that the ongoing military exercises aim to make the enemies refine their assessments of Iran’s defense capabilities and demonstrate that the country’s deterrence is unaffected by external events, a tacit reference to the fall of Tehran’s longtime ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
