The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to vote on a resolution concerning the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, just hours before the deadline set by US President Donald Trump for Iran to reopen the strategic waterway. The resolution, drafted by Bahrain and supported by Gulf Arab states and the United States, calls for coordinated defensive measures among countries using this critical shipping route to ensure safe passage.
It also demands that Iran halt attacks on commercial vessels and civilian infrastructure. The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial maritime corridor through which approximately 20 percent of the world’s oil supply is transported. However, the passage has been severely disrupted amid escalating tensions involving US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, followed by retaliatory measures from Tehran.
Earlier versions of the draft included provisions authorizing the use of force, but these were softened due to opposition from China and Russia. This adjustment aimed to secure sufficient votes and prevent vetoes from any of the five permanent Security Council members. Both China and Russia have expressed concerns that even language framed as defensive could be interpreted as justifying military action against Iran.
The resolution requires at least nine affirmative votes and no vetoes from permanent members to be adopted. The vote takes place amid heightened anxiety in global energy markets, with oil prices remaining elevated due to ongoing disruptions in shipping through the narrow Persian Gulf passage.
