Russia and China have vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route for global oil.
The resolution introduced by Bahrain and backed by the United States failed despite receiving 11 votes in favour with Pakistan and Colombia abstaining.
The draft has been significantly weakened during negotiations to avoid a veto removing earlier references to the use of force.
In its final form, it simply encouraged countries to “coordinate efforts, defensive in nature, commensurate with the circumstances” to protect commercial shipping.
The vote occurred just hours before a deadline set by US President Donald Trump for Iran to reopen the strait or face potential military action against its infrastructure.
Expressing deep frustration, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani stated, “Failing to adopt this resolution sends the wrong signal to the world, to the people of the world,” warning that it suggests threats to international waterways can pass without action.
Meanwhile, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz criticized the veto, saying, “No one should tolerate that they are holding the global economy at gunpoint but today, Russia and China did tolerate it.”
