UNSC delays vote on force to protect Strait of Hormuz - report
The vote on the Bahrain-led draft resolution was postponed due to Good Friday, according to an AFP report
The United Nations Security Council has postponed a vote on authorizing the use of “defensive” force to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, an AFP report quoted diplomatic sources as saying. The 15-member body was scheduled to vote Friday morning on a Bahrain-led draft resolution, but, according to the report, the session was delayed due to Good Friday, and no new date has been announced.
The draft resolution would permit member states, either unilaterally or as part of “voluntary multinational naval partnerships,” to use “all defensive means necessary and commensurate with the circumstances” to secure passage through the strait and deter attempts to close or obstruct international navigation. It would remain in effect for at least six months.
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Bahrain’s UN ambassador, Jamal Alrowaiei, said the measure is critical, noting that “the whole world is being affected by the developments.” The text has received US support and was revised to emphasize defensive action, which has addressed some concerns from France. Jerome Bonnafont, France’s UN ambassador, said it is “up to the Council to quickly devise the necessary defensive response.”
China and Russia have voiced opposition to the draft. Chinese ambassador Fu Cong warned that authorizing member states to use force “would inevitably lead to further escalation of the situation and lead to serious consequences.” Russia has denounced what it calls one-sided measures, and analysts say the resolution faces “tall odds” to pass, given potential vetoes.
Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil passes, in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes that triggered the ongoing Middle East war. Commercial traffic has slowed to a trickle, driving up global prices for oil, liquefied natural gas, and fertilizer.
The Security Council rarely authorizes the use of force. Previous cases include the 1990 Gulf War vote allowing a US-led coalition to intervene in Iraq and a 2011 vote permitting NATO’s operation in Libya. The current proposal seeks to address urgent energy and security concerns while avoiding direct escalation.
The UN has not provided a revised schedule for the vote, leaving the timing of any international response to secure the strait uncertain amid mounting global economic impacts.