The UN Has a Plan to Open Hormuz (Two of Them, Actually.)

Plus: A shakeup in the Secretary General Race and Zohran visits the UN

The global ramifications of this Third Persian Gulf War are worsening around the world. Oil shortages are rocking economies in South Asia, with the contagion soon to spread throughout the rest of Asia and the world. Another key concern is fertilizer prices, which are surging right ahead of planting season as a consequence of the bottleneck at the Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier this week, the UN Secretary-General’s office announced a “Task Force” comprised of key international diplomats “to develop and propose technical mechanisms specifically designed to meet humanitarian needs in the Strait of Hormuz.” The key focus will be creating a mechanism by which fertilizer and humanitarian goods can safely make their way to and from the Persian Gulf.

Meanwhile, at the Security Council, Bahrain is pushing for a robust resolution that would compel Iran to open the strait—potentially under the threat of force.

In this episode of To Save Us From Hell, Anjali Dayal and I explain these proposals and weigh whether or not they stand a chance of success. We also discuss the precariousness of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon after the deaths of three Indonesian peacekeepers in 24 hours, the latest surprises in the race for UN Secretary-General, and what happened when two socialists (Zohran Mamdani and António Guterres) met at the UN for the first time.

The full episode is available below the or wherever you get podcasts. But first you need to get a paid subscription.

Or get a discounted subscription with this link