Security Council: China and Russia veto resolution on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz

April 7, 2026 World and security

The draft resolution spoke about the need to protect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and encourage coordinated “defensive efforts,” including escorting commercial and trade vessels, with the aim of deterring attempts to obstruct international navigation.

Basreyne: The Security Council’s refusal to adopt the resolution undermines its authority

Speaking after the vote, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, expressed regret that the Security Council did not adopt the draft resolution.

“Refusing to adopt this resolution sends the wrong signal to the peoples of the world – a signal that threats to international waterways can remain unpunished, without any decisive action from the international community,” he said.

The Bahraini representative added that the draft resolution was conceived as a step towards ensuring freedom of navigation in the strait. Moreover, it contained calls for Iran to fully comply with its international obligations and to cease attacks on neighboring countries.

The USA “firmly supports its partners” in the Middle East

The Strait of Hormuz is of great importance to the entire world, and no state can use it as a “hostage, block it, or turn it into a weapon,” said the US ambassador to the UN, Michael Waltz.

At the same time as the USA supports the peoples of the Persian Gulf countries, China and Russia, on the contrary, “have sided with the regime seeking to intimidate the countries of the Persian Gulf and force them to submit.”

Reminding that “the first step of the Iranian regime 47 years ago was to take dozens of Americans hostage,” he said that now this regime is taking the Strait of Hormuz hostage, and with it – the global economy.

“Well, colleagues, maybe this will be his last step. Let’s see,” he added.

Russia will propose an alternative draft resolution

According to the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, his country “could not support the text, which would create a dangerous precedent for international law, international maritime law, any peace efforts, as well as the authority of the UN Security Council.”

The diplomat emphasized that Russia respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both Iran and other countries of the Persian Gulf. At the same time, “ignoring the root cause of the crisis in the Middle East – namely the illegal and reckless actions of the USA and Israel towards Iran – is impossible and unacceptable.”

Nebenja also added that Russia advocates for unhindered navigation in the Hormuz Strait. Together with China, Russia proposes to consider an “alternative resolution project on the current situation in the Middle East, including from the perspective of maritime security.”

“Our project will be brief and balanced evenly and equidistantly in accordance with the principles of international law and the UN Charter, in particular, on the peaceful resolution of disputes,” noted the diplomat, adding that the plan on voting will be announced later.

The material is being supplemented…