Russia, China block Bahrain-backed UN resolution to reopen Strait of Hormuz

The initial Bahrain proposal sought to authorise countries to use "all necessary means" -- a UN term that includes military action -- to ensure safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz and prevent any attempts to close it.

In Short

• Resolution weakened to avoid military action references
• Vote was 11 in favour, 2 against, 2 abstentions
• Resolution encouraged defensive coordination among maritime states

Russia and China on Tuesday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that had been repeatedly diluted in an effort to secure their abstentions, aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

The vote ended 11-2, with Pakistan and Colombia abstaining. It followed US President Donald Trump's stark warning that "a whole civilisation will die tonight" if Iran did not reopen the strategic waterway and reach an agreement by his 8 pm Eastern deadline.

The strait is critical, as about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through it, and Iran’s control during the conflict has driven energy prices higher. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, speaking after the vote, said failure to adopt the resolution sent a troubling message about threats to international waterways going unchecked by the international body responsible for peace and security.

Before the vote, Al Zayani questioned whether the global community would accept being "held hostage to economic blackmail," referring to Iran’s threats to international trade and food security through its blockade of the strait.

The resolution, proposed by Bahrain, had been significantly weakened to encourage Moscow and Beijing to abstain rather than veto. Even if adopted, it was unlikely to influence the ongoing conflict, now in its sixth week.

The original proposal would have authorised the use of "all necessary means," a phrase encompassing military action, to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and prevent its closure. The United States supported this initial draft but criticised those opposing it.

Mike Waltz, the US ambassador to the UN, condemned Russia and China for tolerating what he described as Iran holding the global economy "at gunpoint." He accused them of siding with a regime that intimidates the Gulf region while repressing its own citizens during a nationwide internet blackout.

Following opposition from Russia, China and France, all permanent members of the Security Council, the resolution was revised to remove references to offensive force, authorising only "all defensive means necessary." The vote was expected on Saturday but the resolution was further weakened to exclude any Security Council authorisation for action and to limit its scope strictly to the Strait of Hormuz, dropping adjacent waters.

The final draft, vetoed on Tuesday, encouraged states using the strait for commercial maritime routes to coordinate defensive measures to ensure safe navigation. It called for escorting merchant vessels and deterring attempts to obstruct or interfere with passage. The resolution also demanded Iran immediately cease attacks on commercial vessels and refrain from impeding navigation or targeting civilian infrastructure.

Since February 28, in response to US and Israeli attacks, Iran has targeted civilian sites, including hotels, airports and residential buildings across more than ten countries, among them Gulf neighbours that are major oil and gas exporters.

Gulf nations view Iran’s blockade of the strait as a severe threat. Bahrain, which hosts the US Fifth Fleet and serves as the Security Council’s Arab representative and its president this month, has advocated strongly for UN intervention.

Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia and China’s Ambassador Fu Cong have blamed the US and Israel for initiating the conflict and escalating a global crisis. They have called for an immediate halt to military operations.

In response to Iran’s attacks on Gulf neighbours, the Security Council passed a Bahrain-sponsored resolution on March 11 condemning the "egregious attacks" and demanding Tehran stop its strikes.

That resolution passed 13-0, with Russia and China abstaining, and also condemned Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz as threats to international peace and security, calling for an end to all shipping blockades.

- Ends
Inputs from AP