States that would have strongly encouraged countries to coordinate defensive efforts and deter attempts to interfere with international navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Today's vote follows multiple rounds of negotiations, and occurs against a backdrop of regional escalation in the wake of military action commenced by Israel and the United States against Iran on 28 February . The Council has since been briefed on spillover effects in Gaza , Lebanon and Syria .
On 11 March, the Council adopted resolution 2817 (2026) , through which the organ condemned Iran's " egregious attacks " against neighbouring Gulf States, as well as any actions or threats from Tehran aimed at interfering with international navigation through the Strait of Hormuz or threatening maritime security in the Bab-el-Mandeb. Both straits are major maritime chokepoints.
Meanwhile, the Secretary-General has urged the United States and Israel to stop the war and called on Iran to cease attacking its neighbours, stressing that conflicts only end when leaders " choose dialogue over destruction ".
Major Disruption to Agricultural, Technology Supply Chains; Other Waterways at Risk of Same Fate
Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, Council President for April, presided over today's meeting. Speaking in his national capacity before the vote, he noted that the Strait of Hormuz serves as a transit route for approximately 38 per cent of global crude oil, 29 per cent of liquified petroleum gas, 19 per cent of liquified natural gas and 20 per cent of refined petroleum products, as well as 30 per cent of the world's helium supply.
"Consequently, any disruption to the flow of these resources does not merely impact energy markets," he said, pointing to additional effects on agricultural supply chains, global food security and sectors dependent on advanced technology. Noting that member States of the Gulf Cooperation Council represent the primary source of global energy supplies, he said: "We declare loudly and unequivocally before this Council, which is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security, that [Iran] has no right to close this waterway to international navigation."
He warned that, if the Council permits the Strait of Hormuz to remain closed today, "such a scenario would inevitably be replicated in other straits and waterways, thereby transforming the world into a jungle where force, arrogance and hegemony prevail". He added that today's draft "does not create a new reality", but "constitutes a serious response to a pattern of recurring hostile Iranian behaviour", and urged all Council members to support it.
However, by a vote of 11 in favour to 2 against (China, Russian Federation), with 2 abstentions (Colombia, Pakistan), the draft resolution was not adopted owing to the negative vote of a permanent Council member.
After the vote, Mr. Alzayani expressed regret that the Council did not adopt the draft, stating that such inaction undermines the organ's credibility. "Failing to adopt this resolution sends the wrong signal to the world," he emphasized, calling on the Council to shoulder its responsibility and on Iran to fully comply with its obligations instead of attacking its neighbours.
States Who Opposed: Biased Text Punishes Victim while Omitting Crimes of Israel, United States
However, the representative of China, whose delegation voted against the text, said that the proposed draft "failed to capture the root causes and the full picture of the conflict in a comprehensive and balanced manner". Noting that it contained one-sided condemnations, he stressed that "this war should never have happened" and called on the United States and Israel to cease what he described as illegal military actions. He also called on Iran to stop its attacks and noted that his delegation is currently working alongside Moscow on an alternative resolution to address the situation.
Beijing and Moscow announced plans to introduce an alternative text soon. "Our draft will be concise, equitable and balanced," said the representative of the Russian Federation, who also cast a veto today. By contrast, he noted that today's resolution - which "abounded with unbalanced, inaccurate and confrontational elements" - presented Iranian actions as the sole source of regional tensions. Illegal attacks by the United States and Israel were "not mentioned at all", he observed. Moreover, he stressed that the implications of the text are "clear to us", reminding Council members what the "loose and expansive interpretation" of resolution 1973 (2011) wrought in Libya.
"The objective of this draft is obvious," stated Iran's representative, as it seeks to "punish the victim for defending its sovereignty and vital national interests in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz while providing political and legal cover for further unlawful acts by the aggressors". Adding that "this was a United States draft" in substance, he welcomed that China and the Russian Federation demonstrated a "responsible" use of the veto and that Colombia and Pakistan abstained from voting on a text that would have normalized the use of force based on vague, unfounded allegations.
States Who Abstained Urge Time and Space for Diplomacy
"Time and space must be allowed for ongoing diplomatic efforts," urged Pakistan's representative. To that end, he spotlighted a five-point plan announced by his country and China that calls for an immediate end to hostilities; the launch of inclusive peace talks; the protection of civilians and critical infrastructure; the restoration of maritime security in the Strait; and a firm reaffirmation of international law as an indispensable framework for a lasting political settlement.
Similarly, the representative of Colombia said that her delegation abstained from today's vote because "the text before us today is far from contributing to a negotiated solution". She, too, underlined the need to give space to ongoing mediation efforts, adding: "Measures that ramp up the confrontation run the risk of undermining these opportunities and hampering progress towards negotiated and sustainable solutions."
States in Favour Denounce China, Russian Federation for Shielding Iran
"The United States stands with the people of the Gulf at this moment of reckoning," declared that country's representative. By contrast, he stressed that China and the Russian Federation "sided with a regime that seeks to intimidate the Gulf into submission". Recalling that "the Iranian regime's first act was to take dozens of Americans hostage" 47 years ago, he said that it now takes the Strait of Hormuz hostage and, with it, the world's economy. He added: "Well, colleagues, that may be its last act. We'll see."
Others also spoke out against the vetoes cast today, with the representative of France expressing regret that the Council was blocked from supporting efforts to provide safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Today's resolution aimed to encourage "purely defensive measures, without spiralling towards escalation", he noted, also pointing out that it featured calls for de-escalation and resumed diplomatic efforts. "It is hard to understand that two permanent members of the Security Council, who state their commitment to diplomacy and peaceful dispute resolution, cast their veto in light of these provisions," he said.
"No country should be allowed to hold the world economy hostage," declared the representative of the United Kingdom. However, today "Russia and China chose to shield their ally Iran, rather than join international efforts to open the Strait and avert risks to the global economy", he said. While expressing regret over the vetoes cast today, he welcomed ongoing diplomatic efforts and emphasized: "We all want to see the de-escalation of tensions in the Strait."
No Military Solution: Iran Must Cease Attacks
"There is no military solution," stressed Panama's representative, insisting that dialogue and diplomacy are fundamental tools for achieving a sustainable outcome. Nevertheless, he said that the Council cannot stand by when international peace and security are directly threatened. Iran's continued failure to comply with its international obligations and persistent noncompliance with binding resolutions "leaves this Council with a responsibility to act", concurred Latvia's representative.
"Our vote today reflects our belief in the urgent need to address these developments," said Denmark's representative, who stressed that Iranian attacks must cease immediately and that good-faith negotiations must resume. "As a great maritime nation, Denmark is committed to maritime security, to open sea lanes and to the safety of all seafarers," she added. Greece's representative agreed: "Any options by Iran that jeopardize the unimpeded passage of commercial and merchant vessels through the Strait of Hormuz must cease immediately."
As the meeting neared its end, Mr. Alzayani took the floor again in his national capacity to stress that the Strait is an international waterway and a public good. "It is not the property of Iran," he underscored. The representative of the United States, addressing his counterpart from Iran, warned: "As people go hungry and as economies suffer, it is squarely on your shoulders."
Iran Decries United States President for Initiating War of Aggression
For his part, Iran's representative pointed to recent remarks made by the President of the United States, "who initiated the war of aggression". These included statements on 25 and 30 March threatening to "obliterate" Iran's power plants, a threat on 1 April to "bring Iran back to the Stone Age" and a pledge on 5 April to target civilian infrastructure, he recalled.
And, citing today's remarks that "the whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back", he stressed: "Such rhetoric is unfitting of any political leader, let alone the head of a permanent member of the Council entrusted with the maintenance of international peace and security."
