Global pistachio prices climbed to $4.57 per pound in March — their highest level since 2018 — as an ongoing war in Iran (the world's second-largest pistachio producer, accounting for roughly one-fifth of global output and one-third of exports) compounds an already strained supply chain. Pre-existing sanctions, a weaker-than-expected 2025 harvest, and communication blackouts earlier this year had already curtailed Iranian exports before the conflict erupted in late February, disrupting shipping routes through key transit hubs in the UAE and Turkey and leading carriers to cancel new bookings to the Middle East. The squeeze comes at a moment of surging demand — partly fuelled by viral Dubai-style pistachio chocolates and growing adoption by brands such as Häagen-Dazs and Starbucks — leaving food manufacturers facing the prospect of price rises, reformulated recipes, or substituting cheaper nuts, with analysts warning that summer ice cream seasons may see noticeably less pistachio flavour on shelves.