Online Reporter
Sikhulekelani Moyo
Zimpapers Business Hub
THE US-Israeli war against Iran, which started on February 28, 2026, has negatively impacted businesses across key sectors of Zimbabwe’s economy in several ways, including through rising operational costs, raw material shortages and higher energy costs, the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) has said.
Zimbabwe’s largest industrial lobby said the Middle East war has created significant disruptions worldwide, highlighting the deep interconnection between geopolitics and the global economy.
Key energy infrastructure and shipping routes, particularly the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf region, through which approximately 20 percent of global oil passes and a fifth of global liquefied natural gas supplies, have been affected.
Ocean carriers have rerouted vessels away from the Gulf and the Red Sea, taking longer routes around the Cape of Good Hope, which adds 8 to 15 days to Asia-Europe container transit times.
War-risk maritime insurance premiums have surged, with some insurers withdrawing cover for the region.
This has led to sharp increases in oil and gas prices and heightened market volatility across global markets.
Air freight is also heavily affected, with airspace in the region closed and major carriers suspending flights to the Middle East.
Airlines such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad, which account for 13 percent of global air cargo capacity, have seen their operations restricted, leading to severe bottlenecks.
In its second edition of “Tracking Iran Israel-USA Conflict Firm Level Impact in Zimbabwe”, CZI said the ongoing Iran–Israel–USA conflict has transitioned from a geopolitical issue into a systemic economic shock for Zimbabwe
CZI said the survey reveals a fully saturated impact across firms (100 percent), signalling that the economy is now exposed to broad-based external cost pressures.
