Russia, China, and France block UN Security Council resolution on the use of force against Iran - NYT
Kyiv • UNN
Three countries with veto power opposed a military operation in the Strait of Hormuz. A vote on the Arab states' resolution is scheduled for Friday.
Russia, China, and France on Thursday effectively thwarted attempts by Arab countries to force the UN Security Council to sanction military action against Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, stating that they oppose any wording that allows the use of force. This was reported by The New York Times, citing an unnamed diplomat and a high-ranking UN official, according to UNN.
Details
It is noted that the actual vote on the resolution, drafted by Bahrain with the support of Arab Gulf countries, will take place on Friday, but "it remains unclear whether additional hours of diplomacy will help bring on board the three countries with veto power." According to the publication's sources, there were also disagreements on the resolution among the 10 non-permanent members of the UN Security Council.
The deadlocked portion of the text states that the Security Council "authorizes Member States, acting nationally or through voluntary multinational naval partnerships, with prior notification to the Security Council," to use all necessary means "to ensure transit passage and deter attempts to close, obstruct, or otherwise interfere with international shipping through the Strait of Hormuz."
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The publication indicates that Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani stated at a Security Council meeting on Thursday that "Iran's aggressive intentions" towards its Arab neighbors were "insidious" and "premeditated," and violated international law. He said that Iran had attacked civilian targets such as airports, water pumping stations, seaports, and hotels.
"On Thursday, Iran made it clear that it intends to continue controlling shipping through the critical Strait of Hormuz even after the war. For Iran, the unification of Arab neighbors against it in the Security Council marked a serious, perhaps irreparable, deterioration of relations. For years, Iran had been developing closer ties with its neighbors, but undermined them during the last month of the war," the media summarizes.
Context
Last week, Bahrain submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council, which provides for the possibility of using force to protect navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
On the eve of the UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that the world is on the brink of a much larger war that will engulf the entire Middle East and have dramatic consequences for the entire planet.