Bahrain’s bid to secure a UN resolution to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz has stalled, highlighting deep divisions among global powers over how to respond to Iran’s effective closure of the key waterway.
The Gulf state, which holds the rotating presidency of the 15-member UN Security Council this month, had hoped a revised draft would break the deadlock.
The updated version removed an explicit reference to binding enforcement measures, in an apparent attempt to address concerns from countries including Russia and China.
However, diplomats said objections persisted. China, Russia and France all raised issues before the draft could proceed under the Council’s “silence procedure” on Wednesday - a process allowing adoption if no member objects.
Bahrain’s UN ambassador, Jamal Fares Alrowaiei, acknowledged the challenges, telling reporters the proposal still required “a lot of work.”
Behind the diplomatic wrangling lies a worsening global energy crisis. The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas typically passes, has been largely shut for a month.
Tanker traffic has all but ceased following Iranian attacks on vessels, carried out in retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes that began the conflict on 28 February.
Despite the urgency, major Gulf and Western powers remain without a clear plan to reopen the route. “There are ongoing communications and discussions… to find a draft that can garner consensus,” Alrowaiei said, signalling negotiations are continuing but remain far from resolution.
The original Bahraini draft, backed by Washington and several Gulf states, invoked Chapter VII of the UN Charter - a powerful provision allowing measures ranging from sanctions to military force.
Diplomats said such language would almost certainly have triggered vetoes from Russia and China, both of which maintain close ties with Iran.
The revised text dropped the Chapter VII reference but retained robust wording that could still be interpreted as authorising force to ensure safe passage through the strait and nearby waters. This has continued to alarm some Council members, who fear it could open the door to UN-backed military action.
France has taken a different approach, circulating an alternative draft that avoids naming Iran and instead calls for de-escalation and a return to diplomacy. French officials have also pushed back against suggestions that NATO should play a leading role in reopening the strait, emphasising that the alliance is designed for Euro-Atlantic defence rather than offensive operations in the Gulf.
Speaking in Paris, French naval chief Admiral Nicolas Vaujour said efforts were under way to bring multiple countries together to agree on conditions for reopening the waterway in a sustainable manner. He added that China, as the largest importer of oil passing through the strait, would eventually need to take a more active role.
Meanwhile, the United States has sent mixed signals. Early in the crisis, President Donald Trump pledged naval escorts for commercial vessels and urged allies to contribute. More recently, he has suggested the U.S. may step back, calling on others - particularly European NATO partners - to take responsibility. He has also escalated criticism of the alliance, even threatening withdrawal.
On the ground, the situation remains tense. Iran has said it allows safe passage for vessels from countries it does not consider hostile, but ongoing attacks have deterred most shipping companies. The disruption has driven fuel prices sharply higher and raised concerns about wider economic fallout.
With disagreements entrenched among the Security Council’s permanent members - the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France - diplomats say it is unlikely any resolution will be put to a vote this week.
The UN's International Maritime Organization has paused escort operations through the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was reportedly attacked near...
The United Nations' top human rights official has called for independent investigations into deaths in U.S. immigration detention facilities, citing a...
Tens of thousands of people are still unaccounted for after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. At least 589 people have been confirmed dead a...
An aircraft roughly the size of a car crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper on Friday evening, triggering a major emergency response and a heavy p...
Montenegrin police, working alongside the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation, have arrested an Iranian national accused of carrying out a ...
The UN's International Maritime Organization has paused escort operations through the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was reportedly attacked near Oman, with two U.S. officials accusing Iran of the attack.
The United Nations' top human rights official has called for independent investigations into deaths in U.S. immigration detention facilities, citing a rise in fatalities among people held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Tens of thousands of people are still unaccounted for after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. At least 589 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds are believed to be trapped under rubble, as emergency crews and international rescue teams race to respond.
An aircraft roughly the size of a car crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper on Friday evening, triggering a major emergency response and a heavy police presence as authorities sealed off the area and gave no immediate explanation for the incident.
An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck Japan's northeast coast on Thursday, but no tsunami warning was issued, no injuries were immediately reported and no irregularities were found at nuclear facilities, the authorities said.
As Western Europe battles a deadly heatwave that has shattered temperature records, disrupted transport and power supplies, and forced the closure of schools and cultural landmarks, attention is turning to whether El Niño is playing a role in the extreme conditions.
The U.S. Senate rejected a resolution on Wednesday that would have directed President Donald Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress formally authorised military action.
The Kremlin has denied a Wall Street Journal report claiming Moscow is pressuring Belarus to support an expanded Russian military campaign in Ukraine.
Tens of thousands of people are still unaccounted for after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. At least 589 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds are believed to be trapped under rubble, as emergency crews and international rescue teams race to respond.
The U.S. Senate rejected a resolution on Wednesday that would have directed President Donald Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress formally authorised military action.
Iran is preparing for a week-long farewell to former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, who was killed in February during Israeli-U.S. air raids. His state funeral and burial will begin on 4 July amid continuing tensions between Tehran and Washington.
Israel and Lebanon are discussing a U.S.-backed proposal that would see Israeli forces withdraw from parts of southern Lebanon and transfer control of those areas to the Lebanese army, according to officials from both sides.
Iran has strengthened ties with regional partners and agreed a roadmap for technical talks with the U.S. aimed at securing a final peace agreement within two months.
Lebanon heads into a new round of talks with Israel in Washington, seeking progress on key security issues and an Israeli withdrawal timeline. The negotiations, however, are being overshadowed by Iran's decision to fold Lebanon-related issues into its broader talks with the U.S.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment