# The Human Cost of the Strait of Hormuz Closure Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/middle-east-focus-529488/the-human-cost-of-the-strait-of-hormuz-closure Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/middle-east-focus-529488/the-human-cost-of-the-strait-of-hormuz-closure.md Podcast: [Middle East Focus](https://stenobird.com/podcast/middle-east-focus-529488) Published: 2026-06-18T20:06:00+00:00 Episode link: https://middleeastinst.libsyn.com/the-human-cost-of-the-strait-of-hormuz-closure Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/middleeastinst/Middle_East_Focus_6.18.26_mixdown.mp3?dest-id=531685 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/middle-east-focus-529488/episodes/the-human-cost-of-the-strait-of-hormuz-closure Duration seconds: 2025 ## Resource When the Strait of Hormuz closed in March, fertilizer prices spiked within weeks, triggering a food security crisis across North Africa and the Sahel. Host Alistair Taylor is joined by MEI Senior Fellow Intissar Fakir to explore what it means for the region, unpack the link between food security and regional stability, and assess how the strait's reopening could impact those affected. Recorded on June 17, 2026. Find more information on MEI's research initiative on food security, governance and regional stability here . ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/middle-east-focus-529488/episodes/the-human-cost-of-the-strait-of-hormuz-closure/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/middle-east-focus-529488/the-human-cost-of-the-strait-of-hormuz-closure.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.