Iran war pushing more than 30 million back into poverty, UN development chief says

U.N. Development Programme chief Alexander De Croo warned the Iran war is disrupting fuel and, crucially, fertiliser shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, threatening lower crop yields, higher food prices and acute food insecurity in coming months. The knock-on effects have already shaved an estimated 0.5%–0.8% off global GDP and could push more than 30 million people back into poverty, straining humanitarian funding. For markets, sustained supply bottlenecks point to upside pressure on agricultural commodities and energy, greater inflationary pulses, and continued demand for safe-haven assets such as gold even if hostilities stop. The piece is a broad market commentary on geopolitical risk with negative economic implications.