Iran awaits formal US response through Pakistan - IRNA

US Central Command said its forces had redirected 62 commercial ships and disabled four since the blockade against Iran came into effect on April 13.

Tens of millions of people could face hunger and starvation if fertilizer shipments are not soon allowed through the Strait of Hormuz, AFP reported, citing the head of a UN task force aimed at averting a humanitarian crisis.

“We have a few weeks ahead of us to prevent what will likely be a massive humanitarian crisis,” Jorge Moreira da Silva, executive director of the UN Office for Project Services and leader of the task force, told AFP.

“We may witness a crisis that will force 45 million more people into hunger and starvation,” he said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a security discussion in his office in Jerusalem on Monday after US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s response to his ceasefire proposal, Israeli media reported.

Reports said Netanyahu’s court hearing ended earlier than scheduled due to the security meeting.

Millions of people in Iran have spent more than 70 days dealing with widespread internet disruptions and restrictions that many residents say have disrupted their work, healthcare, daily lives and mental well-being.

Yet much of the international coverage surrounding Iran during this period has focused mainly on statements by officials of the Islamic Republic rather than the experiences of people living under the restrictions.

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About 35 million people in Iran are facing water shortages, the country’s water industry spokesman said on Monday, warning that conservation remained necessary despite improved dam reserves.

Issa Bozorgzadeh said rainfall remained below normal in 11 provinces, including Tehran, Qazvin, Alborz, Semnan, Qom, Yazd, Markazi and Isfahan, with Tehran among the worst affected.

He said water management should be handled locally because heavy rainfall in one province did not solve shortages in major cities elsewhere.