Iran war could plunge more than 30 million into poverty, UN warns

The Hill
by Max Rego
April 14, 2026
2 min read

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A U.N. warning states a U.S.-Israeli war with Iran could plunge over 30 million people into poverty.

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The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) warned that a U.S.-Israeli war with Iran could plunge over 30 million people worldwide into poverty. New projections released Tuesday in a 27-page brief indicate that as many as 32.5 million individuals could be affected. This potential poverty increase is attributed to a significant shock in energy affordability resulting from such a conflict. The findings highlight the severe global economic repercussions of a military confrontation involving these nations.

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The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) released new projections in a 27-page brief.

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