The War in Iran Has Triggered a Helium Crisis
The war in Iran has cut off access to a large share of global helium resources, which are needed for lifesaving medical procedures and semiconductor production. This crisis could have been avoided if the US hadn’t sold off its stockpile to private companies.
Pipes for exploratory drilling for helium lie ready in a field in Germany. (Bernd Wüstneck / dpa / picture alliance via Getty Images)
A crucial resource is being choked off from the world amid the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran — and it’s not oil. It’s helium.
The rare, nonrenewable gas is a key ingredient for more than just party balloons. It’s needed for lifesaving medical procedures, groundbreaking research, and the current tech boom underpinning much of the US economy. The gas was also vital in the recent Artemis II mission that sent four astronauts around the moon and back.
But the war in Iran has cut off a significant portion of global helium resources, leading to a 50 percent price increase and warnings of a debilitating supply shortage. And although the United States and Iran are working to open key shipping routes in the region, the arrangement is far from certain, and the monthlong closure that has already transpired will still lead to supply shocks.
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