Gulf nations urge UN Security Council to approve force to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, blocked by Iran, ahead of a crucial Friday vote.
NEW YORK: Gulf states have called for a United Nations mandate to use force to protect the Strait of Hormuz from Iranian attacks.
The Gulf Cooperation Council’s secretary-general made the appeal ahead of a pivotal UN Security Council vote.
Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi accused Iran of closing the strait and imposing conditions on vessels. He urged the council to take all necessary measures to ensure safe international navigation.
Bahrain has proposed a draft resolution to authorise force to guarantee free transit. The US-backed measure has deeply divided the Security Council, facing objections from Russia, China and France.
Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong warned that authorising force would legitimise unlawful action. He stated that political settlement is the only fundamental way forward.
Russia opposes what it calls one-sided measures that ignore the conflict’s root causes. French President Emmanuel Macron has previously dismissed a military operation as unrealistic.
A sixth draft text seen by AFP authorises states to use all defensive means necessary. This adds a defensive stipulation that was absent from earlier versions.
The Security Council vote on the resolution is scheduled for Friday morning. Several diplomatic sources confirmed the timing.
Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani said adoption would show international unity. He stated it addresses threats to a vital waterway for global trade and energy security.
US Ambassador Mike Walz affirmed Washington’s backing for the GCC members. He argued no country should hold the world’s economies hostage for leverage.
The Strait of Hormuz normally carries about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas. Its near-total closure by Iran is roiling the global economy and spiking energy prices.
Iran blockaded the strait in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes that triggered a wider Middle East war. The move threatens global fuel supplies and key commodity shipments.