The Iran War’s Hidden Front: Food, Water, and Fertilizer
Publisher: Council on Foreign Relations
Author(s): Michael Werz
Date: 2026
Topics: Conflict Causes, Livelihoods, Renewable Resources
The consequences of the Iran conflict, which are already being felt in the region, will reverberate globally as an exacerbated food crisis swells. The normally bustling Gulf is not only a regular channel for crude oil but for food and crucial agriculture fertilizers as well. But with the war at risk of expanding and the Strait of Hormuz shuttered, the effect on these states and the role they are unable to play in global food markets will prove significant.