🔻The United Nations says that if Iran and the United States do not reach an agreement in the next few weeks to allow the passage of cargo through the Strait of Hormuz, the food security situation in parts of Asia and Africa will become critical.

After the start of the recent war, the United Nations formed a task force to facilitate the passage of cargo through the Strait of Hormuz. The mechanism that was developed has not been implemented, but Jorge Moreira da Silva, the deputy secretary-general of the United Nations, said it could be activated within 7 to 10 days after an agreement between Washington and Tehran.

Speaking in an interview in Bangkok on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, he said: “Reaching an agreement in the next few weeks is absolutely vital; otherwise, we will miss the planting season.”

In response to questions from Reuters, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said that the U.S. military has helped thousands of commercial ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz: “The United States will continue to take decisive action against Iran’s efforts to disrupt freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and to hold the global economy hostage.”

The White House and the Iranian embassy in Bangkok have not responded to Reuters’ request for comment.

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