UN fails to pass Hormuz shipping resolution

ALBAWABA- The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday failed to adopt a Bahrain-led resolution aimed at restoring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, after Russia and China exercised their veto power.

The Gulf-sponsored measure, backed by the United States and Israel, received 11 votes in favor, with Pakistan and Colombia abstaining.

Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, presiding over the Council in April, introduced the draft after weeks of negotiations. The resolution urged coordinated “defensive” measures, including merchant vessel escorts, to protect shipping in the strait and adjacent waters.

It demanded that Iran immediately halt attacks on commercial vessels and respect international law. Al Zayani expressed “deep regret” at the vote, warning it sent “the wrong signal to the world” and accused Iran of using the strait to hold the global economy hostage, threatening energy, food, and trade.

Iran’s UN representative cautioned that the measure would “only complicate the crisis,” framing Tehran’s control of the waterway as a legitimate response to foreign aggression. Officials insisted Iran remained committed to navigation rights under international law while retaining the right to defend regional security, portraying the strait as leverage in the ongoing conflict with Israel and the United States.

Russia has called on its Arab and Iranian allies to resolve the issue of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya described the text as “unbalanced and confrontational,” warning it set a “dangerous precedent” for the law of the sea.

He added that Russia and China propose the Security Council consider an alternative draft resolution addressing “the current situation in the Middle East,” including maritime security, and warned that “the adoption of a one-sided resolution by the United Nations Security Council on the Strait of Hormuz would jeopardize any prospects for resuming negotiations.” 

China’s Ambassador Fu Cong echoed the concerns, urging a halt to US-Israeli military operations and warning against steps that could escalate tensions further.

Iran’s UN Representative, Saeed Iravani, expressed gratitude to Moscow and Beijing for using their veto power to reject the Bahrain-led draft, emphasizing that the strait remains open, but crossing it is prohibited only for countries linked to aggression against Iran.

Iravani condemned the American-Israeli campaign against Iran as exceeding all legal and ethical boundaries and including war crimes, and he cautioned that any attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, including the Bushehr plant, could result in irreversible humanitarian and environmental consequences.

The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for roughly one-fifth of global oil, has been effectively blocked by Iran amid the 39-day Israel-Iran war. The disruptions have spiked energy prices and unsettled global supply chains. The vote came hours before a US deadline set by President Donald Trump for Iran to reopen the strait or face further strikes on power infrastructure.