BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 24. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz against the backdrop of the Iranian war will make the situation even more dire in countries whose populations suffer most from hunger, including Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Somalia, said Executive Director of the UN Office for Project Services, Jorge Moreira da Silva, Trend reports.
According to him, the consequences of the rising tensions in the Middle East "go far beyond the borders of the countries affected by the conflict."
The expert pointed out that the developing countries in Asia and Africa will bear the brunt of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
"Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz endanger the supply of energy resources. This affects the fertilizer market and threatens food security in countries with the highest levels of hunger or food insecurity, including Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Somalia," he added.
Since no concrete agreement was reached in negotiations between the United States and Iran over the nuclear program, the U.S. and Israel began military airstrikes against Iran on February 28. In response, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israel and U.S. military facilities located in countries across the region, starting the same day.
On the first day of the air strikes against Iran, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking military officials were killed. On March 8, Iran’s Assembly of Experts elected Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s third Supreme Leader by majority vote.
From March 1 through March 5, the confrontation expanded further, affecting several countries across the Middle East.
The ongoing conflict has significantly threatened the region’s energy infrastructure and maritime transport. Oil prices have surged on global markets due to heightened security tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, prompting several countries to advise their citizens to leave the region.
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