How an ancient resin traded for centuries got snarled up by the Iran war

NPR
by Scott Horsley
April 9, 2026
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1 min read

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The ongoing Iran war has disrupted the supply of frankincense, an ancient global commodity.

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The ongoing Iran war has disrupted the supply of frankincense, a commodity with ancient trade routes. This disruption extends beyond energy supplies, impacting a product that has been defining Middle Eastern trade for thousands of years. The conflict is directly affecting the availability of this specific resin. This situation highlights the broad economic impact of the war on diverse global commodities.

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