Gulf States Push UN Resolution on Safety of the Strait of Hormuz

The Strait of Hormuz, which carries about one-fifth of the world's energy exports in peacetime, has become a flashpoint as Gulf states promote a new UN Security Council resolution to ensure maritime safety.

Speaking at the United Nations on Thursday (local time), top diplomats from Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) stressed the importance of restoring pre-war traffic levels through this narrow waterway.

Qatar's UN ambassador, Alya Ahmed Saif al-Thani, argued that keeping the strait open is a “requirement” under UN conventions as well as an “international shared responsibility.” She warned that the current situation “not only endangers global economic stability and energy security but also exacerbates humanitarian crises and undermines regional stability.”

The three Gulf states co-sponsoring the resolution — along with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United States — also demand that Iran “immediately engage with and facilitate” UN efforts to establish a humanitarian corridor through the strait for essential aid, fertilizers, and other goods.

These oil- and gas-rich nations are on the front line of the conflict between Tehran and Washington. After the US and Israel began striking Iran in late February, Iran retaliated by targeting energy and civilian infrastructure in neighboring Gulf states. Iran has also nearly paralyzed traffic through the Strait of Hormuz due to excessive risk. While Saudi Arabia and the UAE have oil pipelines to bypass the narrow waterway and maintain some exports, other Gulf nations like Qatar have been forced to halt energy exports.

Bahrain's UN ambassador, Jamal Alrowaiei, stressed the need for “collective action” to keep the strait “safe and fully open.” He said: “The draft resolution is guided by a clear principle: freedom of navigation under international law.”

UAE envoy to the UN, Mohammed Issa Abushahab, added: “International waterways cannot be controlled through coercion, coercive attacks, or threats targeting civilian and commercial vessels.” He outlined the resolution's demands: “the disclosure and removal of naval mines laid in and around the Strait of Hormuz; rejection of the imposition of illegal fees and interference with freedom of navigation and lawful transit; support for establishing a humanitarian corridor to facilitate the passage of aid, fertilizers, and other essential goods through the strait.”

US Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, condemned reports that Iran had set up a “Strait of Hormuz Authority” that would charge fees on transiting ships. He called it “a calculated effort to apply pressure.” Waltz said: “Collectively punishing the entire world to try to settle some kind of dispute is unacceptable, it is immoral, and it is illegal under international law. This should be a simple demand: remove mines from an international waterway; do not impose illegal fees. We must address these violations in the Security Council.”

On Iran's side, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said traffic through the strait would return to normal if the war ends and the blockade and sanctions targeting Iran are lifted. He argued that the UN draft resolution ignores the real cause of the current situation in the strait, blaming US use of force and strikes on Iran.

Earlier, a Bahraini-proposed, US-backed resolution seen as paving the way for lawful military action against Iran failed last month when Russia and China vetoed it in the 15-member Security Council. The new draft avoids explicit language authorizing the use of force but still operates under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, allowing the Council to impose measures from sanctions to military action.

Washington is said to hope for a swift conclusion to talks among Security Council members, aiming to present a final draft resolution on Friday and hold a vote early next week, though Russia and China are still reviewing a rival text.