UNITED NATIONS – The illegal US-Israeli war on Iran will push more than 30 million people back into poverty, the United Nations warned Wednesday, as disruption to fuel and fertilizer supplies through the Strait of Hormuz threatens to trigger a global food crisis.
The warning comes as the two-month-old conflict continues to block cargo vessels through one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes – a direct consequence of Washington’s unprovoked military aggression against Tehran.
What the UN is saying
Alexander De Croo, administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), said the damage is already done – even if the war stopped tomorrow.
“Even if the war would stop tomorrow, those effects, you already have them, and they will be pushing back more than 30 million people into poverty,” De Croo said.
He also warned of:
- Energy shortages spreading across vulnerable nations
- Falling remittances from workers in conflict zones
- Humanitarian aid routes choked off by the US-Israeli blockade
Why fertilizer matters for global hunger
One-third of the world’s fertilizer supplies pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran and the US are now jostling for control of the waterway – but the US has no legal authority to block civilian cargo vessels under international law.
| Impact | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Fertilizer supplies disrupted | Lower crop yields |
| Fuel prices soaring | Higher food production costs |
| Shipping blocked | Delayed delivery of existing supplies |
The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned last week that a prolonged crisis in the strait could lead to a global food “catastrophe.”
Which countries are most at risk
According to the FAO, the following nations face the highest danger of food insecurity:
- India
- Bangladesh
- Sri Lanka
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Tanzania
- Kenya
- Egypt
“Food insecurity will be at its peak level in a few months – and there is not much that you can do about it,” De Croo said.
The economic toll
The knock-on effects of the US-Israeli war have already wiped out 0.5 to 0.8 percent of global GDP, according to De Croo.
“Things that take decades to build up, it takes eight weeks of war to destroy them,” he said.
Humanitarian aid is also suffering
The Middle East crisis is straining humanitarian efforts in other parts of the world, with the sector already facing deep funding cuts. Key aid routes have been choked by the conflict, delaying life-saving shipments to some of the world’s worst crises.
“We will have to say to certain people, really sorry, but we can’t help you,” De Croo said. “People who would be surviving on help will not have this, and will be pushed into even greater vulnerability.”
The bottom line
The US and Israel launched an illegal war against Iran. The missiles fell on Iranian soil. But the hunger, poverty, and suffering will spread across Asia, Africa, and beyond. Thirty million people did not ask for this war. They will pay for it anyway.
