No Lankan left unaffected by US-Israeli war on Iran

With the United States and Iran holding talks in Islamabad amidst a shaky truce that came into effect on Wednesday after 40 days of attacks and counterattacks, the US-Israeli war on Iran has devastated lives not only in the region but across the world, including Sri Lanka.

As the war raged, with Iran imposing a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz—a key choke point through which 20 percent of the world’s oil supplies flow, along with fertiliser that ensures global food security—prices of fuel, gas, electricity, and food items rose significantly in Sri Lanka, a country which had suffered a major economic blow only three months ago due to a devastating cyclone, while still in the process of overcoming the 2022 economic crisis.

The conflict affected many people in many ways. While some struggled to cope with rising prices, others worried about the safety of their loved ones employed in West Asian nations caught up in the war.

Economists expressed serious concern about a fall in export earnings, tourism revenue, and remittances, while environmentalists pointed to the severe impact on the environment from burning oil wells.

To assess the impact of the war on Sri Lanka, the Sunday Times spoke to a cross-section of the people. Here are their comments.

Read more in today's Sunday Times edition here