The UN Security Council vote on a draft resolution addressing security in the Strait of Hormuz ended with a veto by permanent members China and Russia. Eleven countries voted in favor, while Colombia and Pakistan abstained. The resolution aimed to encourage states using commercial maritime routes in the strait—situated between Iran, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates—to coordinate defensive efforts, including escorting merchant vessels, and demanded that Iran cease attacks on shipping and avoid impeding navigation.
The resolution was submitted by Bahrain along with Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani expressed regret over the outcome, saying the Council failed to take decisive action against what he described as illegal conduct threatening international waterways.
The United States emphasized the strait’s global importance. Ambassador Mike Waltz compared Iran’s actions to the 1979 hostage crisis, saying the Iranian regime was attempting to hold the strait—and the global economy—hostage. He stressed that the waterway must not be weaponized by any single state.
Russia justified its veto by noting that the resolution singled out Iran while ignoring alleged illegal actions by the United States and Israel. China said the draft lacked a comprehensive view of the conflict and failed to address root causes. Iran’s Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani argued that the resolution unfairly targeted Iran while giving cover to what it described as aggressors’ unlawful acts.
The Security Council consists of fifteen members, five of whom are permanent and possess veto power: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The ten non-permanent members are elected for two-year terms by the UN General Assembly.
