The United States is urging the United Nations Security Council to approve a resolution targeting Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz, while Russia and China are signaling opposition that could block the measure through a veto.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The United States intensified diplomatic efforts Thursday at the United Nations by pushing a new Security Council resolution demanding Iran halt attacks and mining operations in the Strait of Hormuz, even as Russia and China warned they may veto the proposal amid mounting tensions tied to the regional conflict.
According to Reuters, the draft resolution — backed by Bahrain and supported by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar — condemns Iran’s alleged ceasefire violations and calls on Tehran to immediately stop actions threatening maritime navigation through the strategically critical waterway.
The proposal also demands Iran disclose the locations of naval mines and refrain from interfering with mine-clearing operations taking place in and around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important global energy transit routes.
The latest diplomatic push follows a previous clash at the United Nations last month, when Russia and China vetoed a separate U.S.-supported Security Council resolution that opponents argued could have provided international justification for military action against Iran.
Standing alongside Gulf Arab diplomats at U.N. headquarters, U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz warned that countries opposing the resolution risked undermining international security and maritime stability.
“We have to ask ourselves, if a country chooses to oppose such a simple proposition, do they really want peace?” Waltz said, according to Reuters.
The Strait of Hormuz has emerged as a central point of tension in the broader Iran conflict, with Tehran accused of threatening oil shipments and disrupting commercial traffic moving through the narrow channel connecting the Persian Gulf to global markets.
The Trump administration has repeatedly characterized the situation as a test of whether the United Nations can effectively respond to threats against international shipping lanes and regional security.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier this week that the proposed Security Council measure represented “a test of the utility of the United Nations” and urged both Russia and China not to obstruct the effort, Reuters reported.
The renewed diplomatic activity comes as President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran had agreed not to pursue nuclear weapons “among other things,” while administration officials indicated Tehran was prepared to surrender enriched uranium stockpiles that Western governments have long viewed as potential components of a future nuclear weapons capability.
Reuters separately reported that American and Iranian officials were moving closer toward a temporary arrangement aimed at freezing active hostilities, though several long-term disputes involving Iran’s regional military activities and nuclear program remain unresolved.
Diplomatic sources told Reuters that both Moscow and Beijing strongly opposed the current draft during closed-door Security Council discussions earlier this week.
One diplomat familiar with the negotiations said Russia demanded either substantial revisions to the text or complete withdrawal of the resolution. China reportedly objected to language invoking Chapter VII of the U.N. Charter, which authorizes enforcement actions ranging from economic sanctions to military intervention.
Chinese officials also argued the resolution unfairly targeted Tehran and failed to adequately address broader regional tensions.
Potential Chinese opposition could complicate President Trump’s upcoming trip to China next week, where the Iran conflict, maritime security concerns and Tehran’s nuclear activities are expected to be major topics during meetings between U.S. and Chinese officials.
Bahrain’s ambassador to the United Nations, Jamal Fares Alrowaiei, said negotiators hoped additional talks could still produce consensus among Security Council members.
“We hope to continue working constructively with all council members in the days ahead to finalize this text,” Alrowaiei said, according to Reuters.
Sources familiar with the negotiations also told Reuters that Tehran was reviewing a proposal that could temporarily pause the conflict without resolving broader disagreements surrounding Iran’s future nuclear capabilities and military posture across the Middle East.
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