Russia, China, and France blocked a military resolution regarding the Strait of Hormuz
The three permanent members of the UN Security Council with veto power—Russia, China, and France—opposed a draft resolution that would have authorized the use of military force to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
This was reported by The New York Times.
The document, initiated by Bahrain with the support of Gulf countries, proposed granting states the right to use “all necessary means” to deter Iranian attempts to block the strategic route. Despite weeks of closed-door negotiations, the stance of Paris, Moscow, and Beijing regarding the inadmissibility of forceful language left diplomatic efforts at an impasse ahead of a decisive vote on Friday.
Iran’s closure of the strait following the outbreak of war on February 28 triggered a global energy crisis and dealt a severe blow to the economies of Arab countries. Qatar was forced to completely halt gas exports, losing billions of dollars, while the region’s civilian infrastructure suffered numerous retaliatory attacks from Tehran. Bahrain’s foreign minister accused Iran of premeditated aggression against civilian targets, but analysts view Bahrain’s initiative as largely symbolic, as the Gulf states’ military forces are overly dependent on the U.S. and are unlikely to be able to stand up to the Iranian army on their own.
French President Emmanuel Macron called calls for a forceful reopening of the strait unrealistic, noting the significant resources of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the risk of a large-scale escalation. At the same time, the war has effectively destroyed Iran’s long-standing diplomatic efforts: even traditional mediators like Oman and Qatar acknowledge the irreparable damage to regional diplomacy. Experts warn that attempting to resolve the political and energy crisis “at gunpoint” without addressing the root causes of the conflict could only worsen the situation in the Persian Gulf region.
As a reminder, the United Kingdom is organizing a virtual meeting with representatives from 35 countries to discuss ways to restore shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the idea of unblocking the Strait of Hormuz by military force is unrealistic. According to him, such a scenario would only prolong the conflict and create even greater risks for everyone. Paris insists that the solution lies in negotiations with Iran, not in military operations.
U.S. partners are concerned that Donald Trump may halt the operation against Iran and not pursue the reopening of the strategic waterway.
