UN official calls for humanitarian cargo to be allowed through Strait of Hormuz

RiddleMaster · 2026-03-13T22:54:24+00:00

A UN official urged for safe passage of humanitarian aid through the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, warning that conflict disrupts vital supplies for those in need.

RiddleMaster

2026-03-13 22:54:24

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WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - A top United Nations humanitarian official on Friday called for humanitarian aid to be allowed to pass safely through the Strait of ‌Hormuz amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

The comments made by Tom Fletcher, the U.N. under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, comes as Iran threatens to close the strait, which is considered a key trade route.

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“When routes close and costs surge, the help ⁠we can deliver shrinks – and the people who need it most are the ones who lose it first,” Fletcher said in a statement.

“So my message to the parties to the conflict and all those with influence over them is simple: humanitarian cargo must be allowed to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz.”

The war started two weeks ago when the U.S. and Israel carried out ‌strikes ⁠on Iran, killing top officials, including its supreme leader. Hundreds others have also died since the Feb. 28 start of the war, which has spread across the Gulf region.

Iran retaliated to the initial U.S.-Israeli attack ⁠by launching its own strikes and deploying about a dozen mines in the strait.

The ongoing conflict has already caused a near halt in traffic through ⁠the Strait of Hormuz, Fletcher said. This, he added, will make it harder and more expensive to deliver critical supplies, including ⁠food and medicine.

“I am speaking directly with key parties, pressing for humanitarian supplies to be allowed to keep moving unobstructed through the Strait,” he said.

Reporting by Jasper Ward in Washington

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Jasper Ward

Thomson Reuters

Jasper Ward is a breaking news reporter in Washington. She primarily covers national affairs and U.S. politics. Jasper was previously based in The Bahamas where she covered the collapse of FTX and the subsequent arrest of its founder Sam Bankman-Fried. She was a part of the Reuters team that won the Gerald Loeb Award for breaking news for its FTX coverage.

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