Russia and China veto watered-down UN resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz

Russia and China Veto UN Resolution on Strait of Hormuz Amid Escalating Tensions

Russia and China vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution Tuesday aimed at reopening the strategic Strait of Hormuz, despite multiple attempts to soften the proposal’s language to gain their support. The vote, which ended 11-2 with Pakistan and Colombia abstaining, came just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stark ultimatum that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran fails to open the waterway and reach a deal before his 8 p.m. Eastern deadline.

The strait, a critical maritime chokepoint through which approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil typically passes, has been effectively blockaded during the ongoing conflict. Iran’s control of the passage has sent global energy prices soaring, creating ripple effects throughout the international economy.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia and Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong both cited Trump’s threats as justification for their opposition. Nebenzia argued the resolution would have provided the United States and Israel “carte blanche for continued aggression” in the region.

“Such language is highly susceptible to misinterpretation or even abuse,” Fu stated during the session. “The draft resolution, should it have been adopted, would send a wrong message and have serious, very serious consequences.” He added that the war is likely to escalate with the United States now “openly threatening the very survival of a civilization.”

Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, whose country authored the draft as the current Security Council president, expressed deep disappointment following the vote. “Failing to adopt this resolution sends the wrong signal to the world,” Al Zayani said, arguing it demonstrates “that the threat to international waterways can pass without any decisive action by the international organization responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security.”

Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir-Saeid Iravani thanked his country’s allies on the council for blocking the resolution. “The text unjustifiably and misleadingly portrays Iran’s lawful measures in the Strait of Hormuz, which have been taken in the exercise of its inherent right of self-defense in accordance with the UN Charter, as threats to international peace and security,” Iravani stated.

The resolution underwent significant revisions in unsuccessful attempts to secure Russian and Chinese abstentions rather than vetoes. The initial proposal would have authorized countries to use “all necessary means” – UN terminology that typically includes military force – to ensure transit through the strait. After opposition from Russia, China, and France, the language was watered down multiple times.

The final version merely “strongly encouraged” nations to coordinate “defensive” efforts to ensure safe navigation through the strait. It eliminated any reference to Security Council authorization for action and narrowed its scope to only the Strait of Hormuz, removing adjacent waters that were included in earlier drafts.

U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz condemned Russia and China for their vetoes. “No one should tolerate that they are holding the global economy at gunpoint,” Waltz said of Iran, “but today, Russia and China did tolerate it.” He accused them of siding “with a regime that seeks to intimidate the Gulf into submission, even as it brutalizes its own people during a national internet blackout, for daring to imagine dignity or freedom.”

The conflict, now in its sixth week, began with U.S. and Israeli attacks on February 28. Iran has responded by targeting civilian infrastructure, including hotels, airports, and residential buildings across at least ten countries, particularly affecting its Gulf neighbors who are major exporters of oil and natural gas.

For Gulf nations like Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Fifth Fleet, Iran’s blockade represents an existential threat. The Security Council had previously adopted a Bahrain-sponsored resolution on March 11 that condemned Iran’s attacks and called for an end to actions blocking shipping in the strait. That resolution passed 13-0 with Russia and China abstaining.

As the deadline set by Trump approaches, diplomatic efforts appear to have reached an impasse, raising concerns about potential military escalation in a region already consumed by conflict.