New York, April 7 (Petra) -- Russia and China on Tuesday vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution that sought to guarantee the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, blocking a measure that would have authorized international defensive efforts to secure the vital waterway.

The draft resolution asserted that all vessels and aircraft enjoy the right of transit passage through the strait under international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It encouraged member states to coordinate defensive measures to ensure the safety of commercial shipping, including the use of naval escorts to deter attempts to close the strait or disrupt international trade.

The failed resolution also included a direct demand for Iran to immediately cease all attacks on transport and commercial vessels, as well as any attempts to impede transit passage. It further called for an end to strikes against civilian infrastructure, including water desalination plants and oil and gas facilities.

Under the proposed text, states participating in maritime security operations would have been required to act in full compliance with international humanitarian and human rights laws. The draft clarified that the resolution’s provisions applied exclusively to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and did not establish new customary international law.

The document expressed "grave concern" over the spread of maritime threats to the Bab al-Mandab strait, citing violations of Resolution 2722 (2024). It signaled a readiness by the Council to consider further punitive measures against entities or individuals undermining navigational rights in both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab.

While the resolution affirmed the right of member states to defend their vessels against attacks and provocations, the double veto by Moscow and Beijing halted its adoption. Ambassadors from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, and Iran participated in the session alongside the Council's permanent and non-permanent members.

//Petra// AF