Russia and China have vetoed an already watered down draft resolution at the UN Security Council to reopen and protect the strait of Hormuz.

Eleven representatives voted in favour, Russia and China voted against, while Pakistan and Colombia abstained. The draft proposal prepared by Bahrain two weeks ago and supported by the United States would have given a clear UN mandate to any state wishing to use force to unblock the strait.

However, objections from several veto-holding permanent members including France, Russia and China, forced the text to be watered down and the vote delayed multiple times. French opposition appeared to be lifted by the addition of wording that meant any action would need to be “defensive.”

After further amendments, the latest version of the text seen by a news agency no longer mentioned authorisation to use force, even defensively.

Rather than explicitly authorising force, it “strongly encourages states … to coordinate efforts, defensive in nature, commensurate to the circumstances, to contribute to ensuring the safety and security of navigation, including through the escort of merchant and commercial vessels.”

It also “demands,” that Iran “immediately cease all attacks against merchant and commercial vessels and any attempt to impede transit passage or freedom of navigation in the strait of Hormuz.”

Additionally, it calls for the end to attacks on civilian water, oil, and gas infrastructure. However, Russia and China still vetoed the amended proposal. It’s worth noting that China is one of the few countries that has been able to continue using the strait, while Russia could be poised to benefit if sanctions on oil are relaxed in response to its continued effective closure.

Bahrain’s Foreign Minister, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, who chaired the meeting, said that Gulf states “regret” the rejection of the measure.

Speaking on behalf of the oil-exporting Gulf countries, he said that the failure to pass the resolution “sends the wrong signal to the world.”

“This signal that the threat to international waterways can pass without any decisive action by the international organisation responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security.”
Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani

Iran Vows Proportionate Action To Trump Threat

Meanwhile, Iran’s representative to the UN, Amir-Saeid Iravani said that Tehran will “take immediate and proportionate” action if Donald Trump follows through on his threats to attack the country’s “whole civilisation.”

Trump earlier threatened that“a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran does not accept his demand to reopen the strait of Hormuz.

Trump’s statement has been widely condemned, with many saying it could amount to war crimes if carried out.

Chuck Schumer, the top Senate Democrat, called Donald Trump an “extremely sick person.” “Each Republican who refuses to join us in voting against this wanton war of choice owns every consequence of whatever the hell this is,” Schumer added.

Chris Murphy, a Democratic Senator who sits on the foreign relations committee, said that Trump’s plan is to “murder thousands of innocent Iranians and hope for a civil war that somehow ends up with the strait of Hormuz reopening.” Murphy also highlighted the global energy crisis that has spiralled since the war began and oil prices spiked.

Amir-Saeid Iravani said that Trump’s threats that a “whole civilization will die” if Iran does not make a deal “constitute incitement to war crimes and potentially genocide.”

During the UN Security Council session on the strait of Hormuz, he urged the international community to call out Trump’s rhetoric before it’s too late.

“Iran will not stand idle in the face of such egregious war crimes. It will exercise, without hesitation, its inherent right of self-defense and will take immediate and proportionate reciprocal measures.”
Amir-Saeid Iravani

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt reiterated Trump’s demand that Tehran reach a deal within the next few hours, telling several outlets that only the US President knows how he will respond if Tehran fails to comply.

“The Iranian regime has until 8pm Eastern Time [00:00 GMT] to meet the moment and make a deal with the United States. Only the President knows where things stand and what he will do.”
Karoline Leavitt

The UN Rights Chief decried the “incendiary rhetoric” in the Middle East war, warning that deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure was “a war crime.” “Under international law, deliberately attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure is a war crime. Anyone responsible for international crimes must be held to account by a competent court,” Volker Turk said in a statement, without naming the United States, Israel nor Iran.