The US war on Iran intensifies hunger crisis affecting millions, warns WFP
The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that the ongoing US-led war on Iran is exacerbating food insecurity across some of the globe’s most vulnerable regions. This intensifying crisis is driven by soaring fuel prices and disrupted supply chains,placing millions of people at an even greater risk of hunger and malnutrition.
In an interview with CNN, WFP Acting Executive Director Carl Skau highlighted that the repercussions of the conflict are being felt far beyond West Asia. Communities in Africa and Asia are increasingly burdened by rising food and transportation costs, which threaten to push millions more into acute food insecurity.
Skau explained that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz—a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments—has caused a sharp spike in fuel prices. This surge has significantly increased the operational costs of humanitarian aid delivery while simultaneously driving up global food prices. Additionally, the conflict has disrupted fertilizer exports from Gulf countries, jeopardizing agricultural productivity in nations already grappling with food shortages and fragile food systems.
“The situation is forcing aid agencies into heartbreaking decisions,” Skau said. “In many places, we are already having to take resources from the hungry to give to the starving.” This grim reality underscores the growing challenge faced by humanitarian organizations as they strive to meet escalating needs amid shrinking budgets and logistical hurdles.
Recent WFP analyses estimate that if the conflict continues and oil prices remain elevated, nearly 45 million more people worldwide could fall into acute food insecurity or worse. This projection signals a potential record surge in global hunger, with the Middle East crisis acting as a catalyst for a broader humanitarian emergency that threatens to destabilize food security across multiple continents.
