UN: damage to Middle Eastern countries from the war in Iran could amount to $120-194 billion.
The total damage to Middle Eastern countries from the war in Iran could be colossal and, in the worst-case scenario, could amount to nearly $200 billion. This is reported by Bloomberg, citing forecasts from analysts at the United Nations (UN).
Much will depend on the timing of the end of the joint military operation by the United States and Israel regarding the final damage for regional countries. Depending on this, experts estimate the ultimate loss for Arab states to be between $120 billion and $194 billion.
However, in any case, the total damage to the region from the conflict will be significant, experts concluded. Even with a swift end to hostilities, the socio-economic consequences for Arab countries will be "serious and extensive," analysts warned.
One of the risks could be a rise in unemployment levels in the Gulf countries. If the war in Iran drags on, about 4 million people from Middle Eastern states will be on the brink of survival. Another 3.6 million people would lose their jobs under such circumstances. The UN predicts that Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, and Saudi Arabia will face the greatest damage. Experts expect the GDP of each of these countries to shrink by more than 5.2 percent.
