Russia, China Veto UN Security Council Resolution On Reopening Of Strait Of Hormuz

Last Updated:April 07, 2026, 22:32 IST

The draft resolution proposed by Bahrain and supported by the United States received 11 votes in favour, two against and two abstentions.

Members of the UN Security Council. (Reuters)

Russia and China vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Tuesday on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which remains virtually shut amid the US-Israeli war on Iran. The text was already diluted from the previous resolution in which the Gulf states proposed to use force to protect the key shipping lane.

The draft resolution proposed by Bahrain and supported by the United States received 11 votes in favour, with Russia and China opposing, and Pakistan and Colombia abstaining. Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani said Gulf states “regret” the rejection of the measure, noting that Gulf states had hoped for stronger international support to secure the strait, a corridor through which roughly one-fifth of global oil passes.

In the initial proposal, Bahrain suggested authorising the use of “all necessary means”, which could include military action, to ensure safe transit and deter attempts to close the Strait of Hormuz after Iran took control of the strategic waterway. However, the final text removed such authorisation and instead urged countries to coordinate defensive measures to maintain navigation after opposition from Russia and China.

ALSO READ: White House Rules Out Nuclear Use In Iran After Trump’s ‘Whole Civilisation Will Die’ Warning

The UAE’s mission to the UN also said it “deeply regrets” the council’s failure to “endorse a clear framework for international cooperation in ending Iran’s illegal attacks and threats to the global economy.”

“The Strait of Hormuz must remain open to all, and the freedom of navigation must be preserved. No country should have the power to shut down the arteries of global commerce and drive the world to the brink of economic calamity,” it said in a statement.

The vote came hours before US President Donald Trump’s deadline for Iran to reopen the strait or endure strikes on its civilian infrastructure. On Tuesday morning, Trump threatened to kill the country’s “whole civilisation” if no deal is reached.

“A whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” he said in a social media post. In the same message, Trump appeared to shift tone, suggesting the possibility of regime change in Iran leading to a different outcome.

The warning marked the starkest yet as the war teeters on the brink of a dramatic escalation, amid widespread disruptions to global oil supplies and international travel. The remarks come as reports of attacks on Kharg Island and civilian infrastructure emerge from Iran, but the country is showing no sign of backing down in the face of the US deadline.

Read More