India, April 23 -- As the Iran war rages on with no prospects of a lasting ceasefire in sight, the UN has issued a stark warning that more than 30 million people will be pushed into poverty worldwide due to high food prices, shortage of fuel and fertiliser that could impact the yield of crops for the farmers. The military escalation in the Middle East risks putting millions of people into extreme poverty in at least 162 countries, according to new projections released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). 

The global energy disruption and the supply shock, now in its sixth week, is evolving from an 'acute' to an 'enduring' phase, despite the temporary cessation of hostilities and extension of a ceasefire. As per the UN...