20/03/2026

How badly is the Iran war affecting the global economy? The head of the World Trade Organization says the biggest problem is the huge amount of uncertainty. That means higher prices for energy, fertilizer and maybe even problems with global food supplies if the fighting continues.

In a specially extended interview, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, one of the key figures in the global economy, explains to Ben Thompson the impact the conflict in the Middle East is having. The conversation also turns to tensions between the US and China, and how President Trump is redrawing the map of global trade.