AP NewsWatch

I'm Ben Thomas with the NAP News Minute.

Amid the destruction wrought by the Iran War,

Karen Sharmas reports the environmental toll could be long term.

Environmentalists say destruction in Iran and elsewhere on oil and gas-related sites

creates some of the worst environmental risks

because of the impacts to air quality and soil and water pollution.

They also say it's leading behind environmental damage and health risks

that could persist for decades.

Kaveh Madani, an Iranian scientist and director of the United Nations University

Institute for Water, Environment and Health, told the AP.

We are seeing explosions one after another.

There are immediate impacts depending on what the targets are.

In some cases the targets are

major infrastructure, energy infrastructure, oil depots.

They result in fires, fires come with pollution.

So there are immediate air pollution impacts.

I'm Karen Sharmas and I'm Ben Thomas.