Iran War-funding Could Have Saved 87 Million Lives, Says UN: Here’s How Much Is Spent On The Conflict Every Day

2 min readApr 21, 2026 10:08 AM IST

The United Nations’ humanitarian agency has flagged that the war on Iran was having ripple effect across the world and that its funding could have saved 87 million lives if allocated as humanitarian aid.

Speaking at Chatham House in London, Tom Fletcher, the head of the UN’s humanitarian agency, also predicted that, with food and fuel inflation inching closer to 20%, the world will feel the impact for years, pushing more people in sub-Saharan Africa and east Africa into poverty.

“For every day of this conflict, $2bn is being spent. My entire target for a hyper-prioritised plan to save 87 million lives is $23bn. We could have funded that in less than a fortnight of this reckless war. Now, of course, we cannot,” The Guardian quoted Fletcher as saying.

Watch The Video Everyone Is Talking About ➤

Why UN’s humanitarian agency is in short of funds?

Fletcher is struggling with a humanitarian aid funding crisis, amounting to a 50% cut in his budget. Apart form the US-Iran war, the international cuts to overseas aid driven by a mix of ideology and demands from defence budgets are also taking a toll on the budget. A former UK diplomat and foreign policy adviser to successive prime ministers, also accused British politicians of indulging in internal conflicts for more than 10 years leaving the UK in a “defensive crouch”.

Fletcher slams Trump for normalising use of violent landuage

Fletcher warned against the normalisation of violent language, and said: “The idea suddenly that it is OK to say, ‘We are going to blow stuff up, we are going to bomb you back to the stone ages, destroy your civilisation’ – normalising that kind of language is really dangerous.” “It gives more freedom to all the other wannabe autocrats round the world to use that sort of language and those sort of tactics, targeting civilian infrastructure and civilians in a way that completely breaches international law.”

Describing UN’s relations with the Trump administration as a “rollercoaster ride”, he has now made some progress in convincing the president’s team that the UN is “not just a bunch of woke, incompetent, useless, exhausted bureaucrats”.

The Express Global Desk at The Indian Express delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis.

A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students.

All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. The desk prioritises clarity, accuracy, and accountability, ensuring readers can navigate complex global systems with confidence.

Core Team

The Express Global Desk is led by a team of experienced journalists and editors with deep expertise in international affairs and migration policy:

Aniruddha Dhar – Senior Assistant Editor with extensive experience in global affairs, international politics, and editorial leadership.

Nischai Vats – Deputy Copy Editor specialising in US politics, US visa and immigration policy, and policy-driven international coverage.

Mashkoora Khan – Sub-editor focusing on global developments, with a strong emphasis on Canada visa, immigration, and study-related policy coverage. … Read More

Stay updated with the latest – Click here to follow us on Instagram

Related Posts