Almost a month after being announced by Antonio Guterres, the UN project aimed at securing the passage of fertilizers through the Strait of Hormuz, paralyzed since the start of the war in Iran, remains at a standstill. Consulted by France 24, this plan must still obtain the green light from several countries.
Published on: 04/23/2026 - 5:48 p.m. Modified on: 04/23/2026 - 5:49 p.m.
Despite the food emergency and the risks of shortages, the humanitarian fertilizer corridor project in the Strait of Hormuz, led by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, is still struggling to convince. Presented on March 27, the initiative provides for the establishment of a UN mechanism to regulate the movement of ships transporting fertilizer and agricultural products. Objective: to guarantee safe, orderly and predictable passage in the midst of war in the Middle East.
The issue goes far beyond the region. The UN warns of a risk of a major food crisis: countries like Sudan or Somalia, very dependent on imported fertilizers, could be hit by acute famine if the blockage continues.
According to an internal document consulted by France 24 and PassBlue – entitled “UN operational mechanism for the Strait of Hormuz” – and a map detailing a “simplified” trade route, the system would be based on a UN operational force. This would open a corridor for fertilizers across the strait, regardless of the conflict.
Also read: Kerosene, CO2, fertilizer, food... The chain effects of blocking the Strait of Hormuz
Ships wishing to use the corridor would have to submit their information to an online database, while UN observers deployed to ports in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Iran would check the cargoes. Authorized ships would then join coordination zones in international waters close to the strait before transiting.
The plan would operate in two phases: first restart exports of fertilizers and related raw materials from Gulf countries, then gradually expand the scheme to other essential products. The UN assures that such a mechanism could be operational in seven days – without however putting forward a precise timetable.
UN ships "allowed to pass", says Iran
The success of the project largely depends on the support, first and foremost, of Iran, as well as the United States and the Gulf countries drawn into the war after Iranian retaliatory strikes, following the attack launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28.
Support that the UN is not yet sure of obtaining. Iran alternates between closing, reopening or restricting passage through the strait, in response to the American naval blockade targeting its ports. The sea route has been virtually closed since the beginning of March and the situation remains very volatile.
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Iran, however, supports the UN initiative, Iranian Ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, told France 24 and PassBlue on April 21. “Any UN ship is authorized to pass through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said. "Not only for fertilizers, but also for oil and gas. All countries can apply to the competent authority [in Iran] and get permission. Only aggressor countries do not have permission to pass. All UN ships do."
He also said the continuation of talks between the Iranians and the Americans in Islamabad depended on the lifting of the US naval blockade in the strait, adding that Washington would have agreed privately but not publicly. “We have received signals that they are ready to [lift the blockade].”
A mixed reception
The initiative receives some support, notably from the European Union. Indonesia described it as an interim step that could alleviate global energy and food insecurity. But on the Gulf side, caution prevails: on April 16, during a meeting of the General Assembly, Kuwait, speaking on behalf of the Gulf countries – Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar – as well as Jordan, made no mention of Antonio Guterres' proposal. A silence that could be interpreted as a lack of support.
The US mission to the UN was informed of the initiative but gave no response. Israel also made no reference to it.
Jorge Moreira da Silva, executive director of the United Nations Office for Project Services – the agency in charge of the task force – told France 24 and PassBlue that they had increased the number of meetings in recent weeks to present the mechanism “to the Member States concerned”.
Read alsoAmerican blockade of the Strait of Hormuz: uncertain implementation and traffic almost at a standstill
According to diplomats, the project also aims to lay the foundations for a broader effort for peace in the region. Antonio Guterres' special envoy for the Middle East Jean Arnault is heading to Islamabad, without directly participating in possible ceasefire talks, according to the UN. The objective is to obtain a firm commitment from several countries which have until now remained largely silent.
Race against time
The schedule is tight. The planting season ends at the end of May, and the current disruptions are already taking their toll: between 10 and 12% of global fertilizer supplies are now blocked, according to the UN. The World Food Program (WFP) warned on March 17 that 45 million people could be at risk of starvation if the strait remains closed.
“Without a sufficiently funded humanitarian response, this could spell disaster for millions of people already on the brink,” warns Carl Skau, WFP deputy executive director.
The UN insists: “Decreased availability and rising costs will lead to lower agricultural yields in future planting cycles, increasing the risk of sustained food price inflation and increased humanitarian needs,” the internal document says.
See also Fertilizers, foodstuffs and medicines blocked at the gates of the Strait of Hormuz
According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), a third of the world's maritime fertilizer trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz. For the plan to work, Iran, the United States and the Gulf countries would have to guarantee unhindered access to ships, regardless of origin or flag. A central sticking point for the UN.
“Discussions are obviously delicate when trying to set up such a mechanism in a conflict zone,” admitted Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for Antonio Guterres, to PassBlue during a press briefing on April 16. “There has been some very positive feedback, but obviously all the pieces of the puzzle need to be in place for us to be able to – let’s say – talk about it a little more openly.”
Strong reluctance in the Gulf
Bahrain's permanent representative to the UN, Jamal Fares Alrowaiei, considers the mechanism insufficient. “The initiative addresses important operational aspects, but does not fully address current security threats,” he told PassBlue in early April.
Other Gulf Cooperation Council countries fear that a U.N. deal would give Iran official recognition or some form of authority over the strait, a prospect they reject. Furthermore, they have little interest in defending a fertilizer corridor while their priority remains the export of oil and gas.
A Gulf diplomat criticizes Antonio Guterres for presenting this plan without prior consultation, several diplomats told PassBlue. Some countries in the region would also prefer to avoid an increased UN presence in the strait.
Also read: Fertilizer, aluminum, helium… These other raw materials that pass through the Strait of Hormuz
As the UN seeks a short-term solution to avert a global food crisis, sources inside the organization fear the prospect of a conflict becoming bogged down. “For the Iranians, it is in their interest for this war to drag on to exhaust the Americans,” said a senior UN official who has extensive experience in negotiations in the Middle East. “It’s the crocodile’s tactic: it suffocates its prey underwater until it stops struggling.”
This France 24 investigation was co-published with PassBlue. The France 24 article in French was adapted from English by Barbara Gabel. Find the original version here.
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