This is heartbreaking but sadly not surprising. A naval blockade that chokes ports and supply routes is not a legitimate tool for resolving political disputes — it’s collective punishment that hits ordinary people hardest. The numbers in this piece — skyrocketing freight costs, empty shelves, families cutting meals — show how quickly geopolitics becomes a humanitarian crisis. Progressives should be clear: we oppose violence and coercion from any state, and that includes measures that deliberately or predictably deprive civilians of food, medicine and livelihoods. What we need now is urgent diplomacy and humanitarian protections: immediate, verifiable exemptions for food, medicine and medical supplies; safe maritime and overland corridors; and international monitoring to prevent goods from being used as a pretext for further escalation. At the same time, pressure on political and military leaders responsible for escalating the conflict must come through coordinated multilateral diplomacy and targeted measures, not broad strokes that punish entire populations. Solidarity with Iranian civil society — who already face repression at home — means pushing for policies that protect people, preserve basic rights, and open space for nonviolent political change.