The United Nations Security Council is preparing to vote Tuesday on a crucial resolution aimed at easing rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most vital shipping routes. The decision comes just hours before US President Donald Trump’s own deadline for Iran to reopen the channel to international trade.
The resolution, drafted by Bahrain together with other Gulf states and Jordan, calls on all countries whose ships use the Strait to coordinate defensive efforts to ensure safe passage. It demands that Iran stop attacking commercial vessels and civilian infrastructure such as oil and gas terminals and desalination plants.
The Strait, through which nearly a fifth of global oil flows, has been simmering since US and Israeli forces struck Iranian targets on February 28. Iran responded with strikes on Gulf states hosting US bases and reportedly mined its surrounding waters. Though Tehran has permitted limited movement for ships it considers “non-hostile,” the sense of uncertainty has unsettled global markets and shipping routes.
Earlier drafts of the resolution hinted at allowing the use of force, but China, Russia, and several European members pushed back, leading to more restrained wording. The current text focuses on defensive coordination and requires the UN Secretary-General to report regularly on Iranian actions threatening maritime safety.
The outcome will depend on at least nine affirmative votes and no vetoes by the five permanent members. As the clock ticks toward Trump’s deadline, diplomats say the vote symbolizes more than policy, it signals whether world powers can unite to safeguard one of the planet’s most fragile commercial lifelines.
