Russia and China reject UN resolution on Strait of Hormuz

UN Security Council Vote on Strait of Hormuz Resolution Fails Due to Veto Power

A United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution aimed at protecting commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz was voted down due to veto power exercised by Russia and China. The draft text, proposed by Bahrain, received support from 11 out of 15 members, with two abstaining. However, Russia and China stated that the measure was biased against Iran.

The resolution called for affected states to “coordinate efforts, defensive in nature, commensurate to the circumstances, to contribute to ensuring the safety and security of navigation across the Strait of Hormuz.” The strait has been closed due to tensions between Iran and the United States and Israel, which led to a blockade that has disrupted global oil and gas shipments.

The US ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, condemned Russia and China’s vetoes, stating they marked “a new low.” France also expressed disappointment with the outcome. In contrast, Iran’s UN ambassador praised the actions of Russia and China, saying they prevented the UNSC from being used to legitimize aggression.

Behind-the-scenes negotiations had taken place over the wording of the resolution, which had been significantly weakened after China’s opposition. An earlier version of the document had explicitly referred to Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, but this was dropped due to China’s concerns. The deadline set by US President Donald Trump for Iran to reopen the strait is set to expire later on Tuesday.

The UNSC resolution aimed to address the security concerns in the region, with Russia and China proposing an alternative resolution that includes maritime security.

Source: Al Jazeera