Iran’s foreign minister has accused the United States of attacking a desalination plant on the island of Qeshm, off the coast of Oman, potentially disrupting water supplies to 30 villages. The accusation comes amid heightened tensions in the region and growing concerns about potential attacks on critical infrastructure.
CNN has not independently verified the claim and has reached out to U.S. Central Command for comment.
The accusation draws attention to the vulnerability of desalination plants, which are vital for providing potable water in the arid Middle East. The region hosts more than a quarter of the world’s desalination facilities.
Analysts have expressed fears that a desperate Iran, facing limited military options, might target these plants to harm allies of the United States in the Gulf.
“Attacking several of those desalination plants would put Persian Gulf countries in an untenable situation,” Bloomberg Opinion energy and commodities columnist Javier Blas wrote on Wednesday. “The risk is real, whether by deliberately attacking desalination plants or accidentally with a stray missile or drone. Oil is essential, but water is irreplaceable.”
Even as CNN has not seen evidence of a U.S. Attack on a desalination plant on Qeshm Island, the accusation raises the possibility of such infrastructure becoming a target.
“Attacking Iran’s infrastructure is a dangerous step with serious consequences. The United States set this precedent, not Iran,” the Iranian foreign minister stated, without providing evidence of the alleged U.S. Attack.
The developments come as Iran prepares for a potential change in leadership.
A new supreme leader could be chosen as soon as Saturday, according to a senior cleric.
According to Iran’s state-run Fars news agency, a member of the country’s Assembly of Experts said the body’s 88 high-ranking clerics are anticipating conditions that will allow them to convene a session to select Iran’s next leader.
“We are firmly hopeful that, with divine success, this work will be done within the next 24 hours,” the cleric, Ayatollah Mozaffari, said, according to the agency.
The selection of the next supreme leader has not yet been made, and the public was urged not to speculate or spread rumors, Fars reported.
By Adam Pourahmadi and Catherine Nicholls
