Tens of millions of people could face hunger and starvation if fertilizers are not soon allowed through the Strait of Hormuz, the head of a UN task force aimed at averting a looming humanitarian crisis said on Monday.
“We have a few weeks ahead of us to prevent what will likely be a massive humanitarian crisis,” Jorge Moreira da Silva, executive director of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and leader of the task force, said in an interview. “We may witness a crisis that will force 45 million more people into hunger and starvation.”
The UN official’s remarks come a day after US President Donald Trump rejected the response sent by Iran via Pakistan to Washington’s proposal to end the war in the Middle East, as tensions escalate in the Gulf. Defense ministers from 40 countries were set to meet Tuesday to discuss military plans aimed at restoring maritime shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The situation in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz is a major point of contention between the United States and Iran, given its impact on maritime shipping and global energy prices. Iran controls this vital waterway through which the transport of oil, gas, and fertilizers take place, and has established a payment mechanism to impose fees on ships attempting to pass through it. Washington responded by blockading Iranian ports.
Meanwhile, oil prices rose sharply at the opening of trading on Monday, shortly after Trump announced his rejection of Tehran’s response. Brent crude futures for July rose 2.69% to $104.01 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate climbed 2.54% to $97.84 a barrel.
Iran warned Britain and France that it would respond “decisively and immediately” if they sent warships to the Strait of Hormuz. (AFP)
