UN Security Council condemns Iran strikes on neighbouring Gulf countries

The Council voted in favour of a resolution that condemned the strikes carried out by Iran using missiles and attack drones against Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Jordan

By Magdalena Del Valle

 

The United Nations Security Council approved a largely symbolic denunciation of Iran’s attacks on its Gulf neighbors, calling on the Islamic Republic to halt strikes that have disrupted global energy markets. 

The top decision-making body at the UN voted Wednesday in favour of a resolution that condemned the strikes carried out by Iran using missiles and attack drones against Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. 

 

Out of the 15 member states on the Security Council, 13 voted in favour, with China and Russia abstaining. 

 

 

The resolution, proposed by Bahrain on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council, decried Iran’s retaliation against a number of civilian targets, including energy facilities, as a violation of international law. It also called for freedom of navigation in international shipping lanes, including the Strait of Hormuz, which is vital for oil and gas transit and has been effectively closed for days.

 

“To the people under the barrage and the constant bombardment of the Iranian regime, the UN Security Council stands with you,” said Mike Waltz, the US ambassador to the UN. “We uniformly condemn Iran’s indiscriminate attacks on civilians.”

 

Russia proposed its own resolution urging all parties to immediately stop military activities, condemn any strikes against civilian infrastructure, and calls for “all parties concerned” to return to negotiations. But the resolution did not pass, getting only four votes in favor, two against — including the US — and nine abstentions.

 

Vasily Nebenzya, Russia’s permanent representative at the UN, called the Gulf-sponsored resolution “one-sided,” and said all parties need to work to de-escalate the situation. 

 

The votes came on the twelfth day of fighting after Israel and the US launched a war against Iran. In retaliation, Tehran has aimed to cause economic pain in energy markets by trying to shut the Strait of Hormuz and striking energy facilities and other infrastructure in several neighboring Gulf monarchies. 

 

Earlier Wednesday, Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest international hub, briefly halted operations after drone attacks that resulted in four people being injured. And on Tuesday, the UAE halted one of the biggest oil refineries in the world as a precautionary measure after a drone strike caused a fire in the area.