New UNSC draft on Hormuz eases off threats of force to avoid veto risks

Russia, which is allied with Iran and holds veto power on the Security Council, had expressed its disapproval over some of the earlier language of the previous draft resolution

By Magdalena Del Valle

 

Bahrain on Monday circulated a draft Security Council resolution on reopening the Strait of Hormuz that removes language around the possible use of force, as supporters of the document tried to head off possible vetoes by Russia or China. 

The latest iteration of the document, which has gone through multiple revisions and may still change, “strongly encourages” countries to “coordinate efforts, defensive in nature, commensurate to the circumstances,” to ensure security of navigation through the strait.

 

A previous version had said states could use “all defensive means necessary” to secure transit through Hormuz. Before that, the United Arab Emirates and some allies had wanted the resolution to cite the UN’s Charter’s Chapter VII, which allows the Security Council to address threats to peace by explicitly authorizing the use of force or other measures.

 

 

Russia, which is allied with Iran and holds veto power on the Security Council, had expressed its disapproval over some of the earlier language, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying it would disrupt “very fragile chances for negotiations.” China and France also voiced concerns.

 

“Throughout the negotiations, China, France, and Russia have signaled that they do not want support for defensive measures in the strait to be misconstrued as authorization to use unchecked military force,” said Daniel Forti, who heads UN affairs at the International Crisis Group.

 

The Security Council is scheduled to vote on the draft at 11 a.m. New York time on Tuesday, though previous plans to consider the resolution were scrapped as nations wrangled over its language. The voting will take place nine hours before a deadline Trump has given Iran to reopen the strait. He has threatened to order airstrikes on the country’s civilian infrastructure if it fails to comply.

 

Sufficient support for passage wasn’t guaranteed. The latest version calls on countries to “deter attempts to close, obstruct or otherwise interfere” with navigation through the strait — language some countries may still oppose.

 

If passed, the resolution nonetheless opens the door for other countries to take the lead when it comes to reopening Hormuz — which President Donald Trump has advocated. Some of the suggested methods include escorting vessels and deterring attempts to interfere with the flow of goods through the passage.

 

The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have considered joining the US and Israeli war as Iran continues to strike major energy facilities and the strait remains cut off, Bloomberg has previously reported.