Bahrain-led UN resolution on Strait of Hormuz garners support from 112 nations

A United Nations Security Council draft resolution calling for freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz has garnered 112 co-sponsors, according to diplomatic sources, underscoring widespread global concern over the closure of one of the world's most critical shipping routes.

The resolution, submitted by Bahrain and the United States, aims to protect international waterways, maritime commerce, and energy supplies, while ensuring the safety of seafarers, sources said Tuesday.

The resolution also calls for an end to Iranian attacks on Gulf neighbors.

Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait joined Manama and Washington as primary sponsors, while India, Japan, South Korea, Kenya, Argentina, and most European Union member states also signed on, the sources said.

“The list is three pages long,” Al Jazeera’s Gabriel Elizondo reported from New York. “Essentially, two-thirds of the 193 UN member states have co-sponsored.”

This is the second resolution Bahrain has brought before the Security Council. The first, submitted last month, was vetoed by China and Russia. Both countries have expressed reservations about the new draft, though it remains unclear whether they intend to veto again if it goes to a vote.

No date has been set for a vote.

The diplomatic move comes as peace talks between Iran and the United States remain deadlocked. Washington demands Iran dismantle its nuclear program and lift restrictions on the strait. Tehran counters with demands for war reparations, an end to the US naval blockade of its ports, and a ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, where US ally Israel is fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Iran also insists any deal must recognize its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, a demand Washington deems unacceptable.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi on Tuesday accused the US of seeking surrender rather than peace. “True peace cannot be built on the language of humiliation, threats and coercive concessions,” he wrote on X.

Iran’s demands, he said, are not “maximum demands” but “the minimum requirements for any serious and sustainable agreement.”

Regional powers are also ramping up their diplomatic efforts. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan arrived in Doha Tuesday for talks with Qatari leaders, warning that the strait must not be used as a weapon.

“All countries in the world are now feeling the burden of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” he said, urging a deal to reopen the waterway for free passage.

Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, warned against a return to war and called for support for Pakistan’s mediation efforts. “We do not support a return to war,” he said. “The role that Pakistan is playing is critical and key for the entire region and the world.”

The diplomatic activity coincides with a state visit by US President Donald Trump to Beijing, where the war with Iran is expected to be a topic in his discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

China, a close ally of Tehran and by far its largest oil customer, has so far avoided direct involvement in the conflict while maintaining trade relations with Iran.

Trump’s three-day visit to Beijing comes at a tense time for the US president. His approval ratings have slipped amid the prolonged war with Iran and rising inflation, which economists attribute in part to disruptions in global energy supplies.

But before boarding Air Force One, Trump said Americans’ financial hardships are not a factor in his decisions in talks to end the war with Iran. “I don’t think about the financial situation of Americans. I don’t think about anyone,” he said. “I think about one thing: We cannot have Iran with nuclear weapons. That is it. That is the only thing driving me.”