At a vote in the UN Security Council on Tuesday, China and Russia vetoed a Bahraini resolution encouraging states to coordinate efforts to protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The 15-member Security Council voted 11 in favour of the resolution, with two against - China and Russia - and two abstentions. "The draft resolution has not been adopted, owing to the negative vote of a permanent member of the Council, Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani told the Council.
Oil prices have surged since the US and Israel struck Iran at the end of February, unleashing a conflict that has run for more than five weeks and seen Tehran largely close the Strait, a vital energy artery. Oil prices climbed on Tuesday and US crude was on track for its highest close since 2022 ahead of a deadline set by US President Donald Trump for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on power plants and other infrastructure.
Efforts by Bahrain, the current chair of the 15-member Council, to secure a resolution have involved multiple drafts seeking to overcome opposition from China, Russia and others. The latest iteration, seen by Reuters, drops any explicit authorisation of the use of force. Instead the text, "strongly encourages States interested in the use of commercial maritime routes in the Strait of Hormuz to coordinate efforts, defensive in nature, commensurate to the circumstances, to contribute to ensuring the safety and security of navigation across the Strait of Hormuz." — Reuters
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