The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) reported that the ongoing conflict surrounding Iran has sharply increased the cost of delivering humanitarian aid to Sudan and caused significant delays. According to the agency, instability in key Gulf shipping routes, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, along with port congestion, rising fuel prices, and higher insurance costs, have driven up transportation expenses and slowed relief operations.

Speaking in Geneva, UNHCR spokesperson Carlotta Wolf said that aid shipments previously sent from Dubai through Gulf routes must now travel via Europe and around the Cape of Good Hope, extending delivery times by up to 25 days. She noted that people in urgent need are receiving assistance much later than required.

The cost of sending aid from Dubai to Sudan and neighboring Chad has risen from 927,000 to 1.87 million dollars, more than doubling. The UN described Sudan’s ongoing conflict as the world’s largest displacement crisis, leaving millions dependent on humanitarian aid now facing higher costs and longer delays.