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The UN Security Council is expected to vote on Tuesday on a resolution addressing Iran’s threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, though diplomats say the measure has been significantly diluted after opposition from some council members to any language authorising use of force.
The vote comes after more than five weeks of conflict, triggered by US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, that has sent oil prices sharply higher and disrupted traffic through one of the world’s most critical energy corridors.
Tehran has largely restricted passage through the strait, raising concerns over global supply chains and energy markets.
Bahrain, which holds the rotating presidency of the 15-member Security Council, has circulated several draft resolutions in recent days in an effort to bridge deep divisions among members.
The initial draft, proposed by Bahrain in close coordination with the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as well as Jordan, included language explicitly citing Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which grants the Security Council authority to impose measures ranging from sanctions to military action.
The core provision of the latest draft resolution encourages states to co-ordinate defensive naval actions, including escorting ships, to protect commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the text seen by The National.
The language stops short of authorising the use of force, reflecting compromises made after objections from veto-wielding members Russia and China who both argued it could heighten tensions instead of easing them.
Instead, it emphasises actions “commensurate to the circumstances” and aimed at deterring attempts to disrupt transit through the strategic waterway.
It seeks to guarantee the uninterrupted flow of energy supplies through the strait, a narrow waterway at the mouth of the Arabian Gulf through which about a fifth of global oil trade usually passes.
France, backed by several Council members also had raised concerns about how broadly the use of force was defined, arguing it should be tightly restricted to defensive actions only.
The revised draft includes multiple references to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), reaffirming that member states have the right to defend their vessels against attacks or provocations that threaten freedom of navigation.
It also makes clear that the resolution applies solely to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and does not alter states’ rights or obligations under international law.
Since the escalation began on February 28, the GCC have been subjected to ongoing Iranian attacks on ships, ports, and energy infrastructure across the Gulf, disrupting maritime trade and energy supplies while fueling wider economic and supply chain instability in the region.
The revised language reflects a compromise designed to secure broader support, though it still remains unclear whether the resolution will pass.
It requires at least nine votes in favour and no vetoes from the five permanent members, Britain, China, France, Russia and the US.
Iran said on Monday it wanted a lasting end to the war, and pushed back against pressure to reopen the strait, while US President Donald Trump warned the country could be “taken out” if it did not meet his Tuesday night deadline to reach a deal.
