Russia and China Veto UN Resolution on Strait of Hormuz

On April 7, 2026, the United Nations Security Council failed to adopt a resolution aimed at boosting security in the Strait of Hormuz after permanent members Russia and China vetoed the measure. The critical shipping corridor remains largely closed to global trade and the transport of humanitarian aid as war continues across the region.

The draft resolution was submitted by Bahrain, alongside Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Of the 15 Security Council members, 11 voted in favor of the resolution. Colombia and Pakistan abstained from the vote.

Resolution Objectives and Demands

The proposed text sought to strongly encourage states interested in the use of commercial maritime routes in the Strait of Hormuz—located between Iran, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates—to coordinate defensive efforts. These efforts were intended to contribute to the safety and security of navigation, including the use of escorts for commercial and merchant vessels.

the draft demanded that Iran immediately cease all attacks on shipping and end any attempts to impede freedom of navigation or transit within the strait. Some reports characterized the resolution as a watered-down version of previous efforts to reopen the waterway.

Diplomatic Reactions

Following the vote, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani expressed regret on behalf of the submitting nations. He stated that the Security Council failed to shoulder its responsibility regarding illegal conduct that required decisive and immediate action.

Failing to adopt this resolution sends the wrong signal to the world, to the peoples of the world, the signal that the threat to international waterways can pass without any decisive action by the international organization responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security.

Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Foreign Minister of Bahrain

United States Ambassador Mike Waltz indicated that the U.S. Stands with Bahrain and the people of the Gulf at this moment of reckoning, asserting that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be held hostage.

The veto by Russia and China occurred hours before a deadline set by Donald Trump. A Chinese envoy stated following the veto that the country’s vote will stand the test of history.

The failure to pass the resolution comes amid growing humanitarian and economic pressures resulting from the closure of the corridor and the ongoing regional conflict.