A critical food security situation has developed in the United Arab Emirates amid widespread destabilization in the region. Stefan Paul, CEO of global logistics giant Kühne+Nagel, told European media that Dubai has only ten days' worth of fresh produce left. Military action against Iran has dealt a devastating blow to international supply chains, resulting in a reduction in global air cargo capacity by approximately 18%. This sharp decline in logistics capacity, coupled with the paralysis of sea routes, is putting the Persian Gulf countries on the brink of a humanitarian crisis, while Europe has so far been significantly less affected by these disruptions.

A particularly pressing problem for the region is its high dependence on imported perishable goods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Iranian threats and the virtual blockade of transport corridors make it impossible to supply megacities accustomed to a continuous flow of imported products. Although it is theoretically possible to organize overland shipments through Saudi Arabia, experts are extremely skeptical of this scenario. According to Mr. Paul, the available land-based capacity is barely sufficient to replace the cargo of even one modern container ship. Considering that one such vessel can carry up to 20,000 containers, attempting to compensate for this volume with trucks appears virtually impossible given the growing shortage of time and resources.