A disappointing outcome for Gulf Arab states and the United States at the United Nations Security Council. A draft resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz—allowing Arab countries to export oil and import essential goods—failed to pass after Russia and China used their veto power.
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China’s ambassador to the United Nations told Rudaw Network that one of the main reasons for the veto was timing, noting that the vote took place just hours before the deadline set by President Donald Trump to “wipe out Iranian civilization.”
Responding to a question about whether Trump’s statement influenced China’s vote, Ambassador Fu Cong said: “Yes, and that is why I said the timing was very bad.”
Bahrain had sponsored the draft resolution. When asked why the vote was not postponed further, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister explained that the draft had been submitted since Monday and had already been delayed several times to account for such concerns.
A Rudaw correspondent reported that China’s permanent representative emphasized that the timing of the vote was inappropriate, especially as intensified U.S. military action against Iran was expected later that evening. He questioned why the vote had not been delayed to avoid a veto.
In response, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani said: “Let us be clear, we submitted the draft resolution last Monday and intended to vote on it then, but we postponed it several times. However, we cannot tie such an important issue—one that affects the entire world—to what is called ‘appropriate timing,’ or link it to social media or media coverage. I believe the Security Council was not up to its responsibility this time, but as president, we will return and work on a new formula, as this is an urgent and critical issue that must be addressed.”
The draft resolution included provisions allowing the use of force to ensure freedom of navigation for all countries in the Strait of Hormuz—this was the key point opposed by China and Russia.
Rudaw also reported that China and Russia are working on an alternative draft resolution to reopen the strait.
When asked about the new proposal, Russia’s UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya responded: “Go and see it. It is in its final stages.”
The closure of the strait has reportedly caused greater harm to China than to Russia, as Russia possesses significant domestic oil reserves and benefits from rising global oil prices.
