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STORY: UN / STRAIT OF HORMUZ RESOLUTION
TRT: 07:09
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ARABIC / ENGLISH / RUSSIAN / CHINESE / NATS
DATELINE: 07 APRIL 2026, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, United Nations headquarters
07 APRIL 2026, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bahrain:
“The Member States of the Gulf Cooperation Council, represent the primary source of global energy supplies. This renders the security of the Strait of Hormuz a shared international responsibility, one that transcends the regional sphere to directly bear upon the stability of the global economy. Therefore, we declare loudly and unequivocally before this Council, which is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security, that the Islamic Republic of Iran has no right to close this waterway to international navigation, nor to deprive the peoples of the world of these resources essential for life.”
4. Wide shot, Security Council
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bahrain:
“I shall put the draft resolution to the vote now. Will those in favor of the draft resolution contained in document S/2026/273, please raise their hand? Those against? Abstentions? The result of the voting is as follows: 11 votes in favor, two votes against, two abstentions. The draft resolution has not been adopted owing to the negative vote of a permanent member of the Council.”
6. Wide shot, Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Waltz, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United States:
“As we speak right now, 80 UN and international humanitarian groups delivering medical aid, shelter, supplies and food to humanitarian crises in the Congo and Sudan, in Gaza cannot pass through the strait. No one should tolerate that they are holding the global economy at gunpoint. But today, Russia and China did tolerate it. They sided with a regime that seeks to intimidate the Gulf into submission, even as it brutalizes its own people. During a national internet blackout for daring to imagine dignity or freedom. Now it seeks to punish the world as cynical leverage in its Death to America approach to foreign policy.”
8. Med shot, Iranian Ambassador
9. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
“At the end of the day, no matter how hard the authors tried to couch the text in broad, generalized language, its essence remained unchanged — a blank check to continue aggressive actions and further escalation. What this would mean from a legal standpoint, as well as for the situation on the ground, is clear to us. Especially at a moment when we are hearing statements by U.S. President Donald Trump about his readiness to ‘destroy’ Iran should the Strait of Hormuz not be opened.”
10. Med shot, Amir-Saeid Iravani
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
“And no excuses you will hear from us today, Ambassador Waltz.”
12. Wide shot, Security Council
13. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Fu Cong, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, People's Republic of China:
“Under the current circumstances, this draft resolution should clearly and identify the root causes of this conflict, seek appropriate solutions to address the root causes and ensure the safety and security of shipping lanes and strive to promote dialog and achieve peace. It is regrettable, though, the draft resolution fails to capture the root causes and full picture of the conflict in a comprehensive, balanced manner. It contains one-sided condemnation and pressure, characterizing the situation as the threat to international peace and security, as well as the use of armed escorts. Such language is highly susceptible to misinterpretation or even abuse.”
14. Med shot, Vasily Nebenzya
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Amir-Saeid Iravani, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Iran:
“Let me be clear: this text would only embolden the United States and the Israeli regime to continue in their unlawful actions and atrocious crime, while shielding from accountability in substance. This was a United State draft introduced under the other names. Today is the president of the United States again resorted to language that is not only deeply irresponsible but profoundly alarming. Declaring that, quote, “the whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back,” unquote. It is regrettable and alarming that while in full view of the international community, the President of the United States shamelessly and brazenly issues threats to destroy all civilian infrastructure in Iran, including bridges, power plants and energy facilities, by setting a deadline, and openly reveals this intent to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
16. Wide shot, Security Council
17. Wide shot, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister approaching the stakeout area
18. SOUNDBITE (English) Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bahrain:
“Despite these efforts, the council did not rise to the occasion today to adopt a clear and necessary text. We made it clear repeatedly that the countries of our region are not parties to this conflict, have never sought to be and do not wish to be. We reject any false Iranian claims to the contrary.”
19. Wide shot, Al-Zayani leaving the stakeout area
The United Nations Security Council failed to adopt a draft resolution on the Strait of Hormuz after Russia and China voted against it.
The text, proposed by Bahrain in close coordination with the Gulf Cooperation Council member states (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates as well as Jordan), strongly encouraged states to coordinate defensive efforts to ensure the safety of navigation through the Strait, including through the escort of merchant and commercial vessels.
It demanded that Iran immediately cease all attacks against merchant and commercial vessels and any attempt to impede transit passage or freedom of navigation and further called for a halt to attacks on civilian infrastructure, including water infrastructure, desalination plants and oil and gas installations.
Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani told the Council that Iran “has no right to close this waterway to international navigation, nor to deprive the peoples of the world of these resources essential for life,” adding that the security of the Strait was “a shared international responsibility” that directly bears upon the stability of the global economy.
U.S. Permanent Representative Mike Waltz said the blockage was already taking a humanitarian toll, noting that 80 UN and international humanitarian organizations delivering aid to crises in the Congo, Sudan and Gaza “cannot pass through the strait.” He said Russia and China are siding “with a regime that seeks to intimidate the Gulf into submission, even as it brutalizes its own people” and said no one “should tolerate that they are holding the global economy at gunpoint.”
Russia's Permanent Representative Vasily Nebenzya said, “At the end of the day, no matter how hard the authors tried to couch the text in broad, generalized language, its essence remained unchanged - a blank check to continue aggressive actions and further escalation. What this would mean from a legal standpoint, as well as for the situation on the ground, is clear to us. Especially at a moment when we are hearing statements by U.S. President Donald Trump about his readiness to ‘destroy’ Iran should the Strait of Hormuz not be opened.”
He then added, “And no excuses you will hear from us today, Ambassador Waltz.”
Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong said, “the draft resolution fails to capture the root causes and full picture of the conflict in a comprehensive, balanced manner. It contains one-sided condemnation and pressure, characterizing the situation as the threat to international peace and security, as well as the use of armed escorts. Such language is highly susceptible to misinterpretation or even abuse.”
Amir-Saeid Iravani of Iran said, “This was a United State draft introduced under the other names.” Citing a post by Donald Trump, Iravani also said, “It is regrettable and alarming that while in full view of the international community, the President of the United States shamelessly and brazenly issues threats to destroy all civilian infrastructure in Iran, including bridges, power plants and energy facilities, by setting a deadline, and openly reveals this intent to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
