The war on Iran has created a shortage of Helium, which plays a critical role in semiconductor manufacturing and in medical equipment such as MRI machines.

Helium is mostly produced as a byproduct of LNG production.

Following retaliation strikes by Iran, Qatar has halted most of its LNG production in the country, which has led to a suspension of helium production as well. Qatar supplies a third of the world’s helium.

https://lnginnorthernbc.ca/2026/03/22/war-in-iran-creates-shortage-of-helium-vital-for-semiconductors/
#UsPol
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Insightful commentary by Shanaka Anslem Perera on the disruption of Helium production due to the war on Iran and its effect on semiconductor manufacturing and semiconductor economies.

"Helium cools the extreme ultraviolet lithography systems that print transistors at 3 nm. It purges etching chambers of contamination. It tests wafer seals. There is no substitute. Without helium, the EUV machines that print every advanced chip on the planet stop."

https://substack.com/@shanakaanslemperera/posts
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More on Helium by Shanaka Anslem Perera -

"The war hit uranium first. Then oil. Then nitrogen. Then water. Then plastic. Then medicine. Then sulfur. Now helium. Eight layers. Each one deeper. Each one closer to the infrastructure that sustains modern civilisation. The chip that processes your data, the magnet that scans your body, and the rocket that launches your satellite all depend on an atom that leaves the planet when you lose it."

https://nitter.net/shanaka86/status/2034555938854846773#m
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More on supply-chain disruption from Baron's -
Energy
Helium
Aluminum
Fertilizers
Semi-conductors
Pharmaceuticals

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/it-s-not-just-oil-the-iran-war-sparked-a-supply-chain-mess-that-s-hitting-tech-medicine-and-more/ar-AA1YZwlU
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@AkaSci And even for helium, there's some nuances not mentioned much in the news reports. When used for cooling to very low temperatures, you need both helium-3 and helium 4, and helium-3 is hard to find. While helium-3 is a bit lighter, helium-3 atoms are fermions whereas helium-4 atoms are bosons. This has a significant impact on how these isotopes behave at very low temperatures.