Russia and China Block UN Resolution to Reopen Critical Oil Shipping Route

2026-04-07 region

New York, 7 April 2026
The UN Security Council failed to pass a resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz after Russia and China exercised their veto powers on Tuesday. The strategic waterway carries one-fifth of the world’s oil and has been largely closed by Iran since late February following US-Israeli strikes. The vetoed resolution, sponsored by Bahrain and Gulf states, had been significantly watered down from its original proposal to authorise military force, instead calling for defensive coordination to protect commercial shipping. This diplomatic failure highlights deepening geopolitical divisions and could further impact global energy markets already affected by five weeks of Middle East conflict.

Diplomatic Manoeuvring Falls Short After Trump Deadline Passes

The Security Council vote came just hours after President Trump’s 8 p.m. Eastern deadline on 6 April for Iran to reopen the strategic waterway had passed without resolution [3][7]. Trump had previously warned that ‘a whole civilisation will die tonight’ unless Tehran agreed to his terms, which included reopening the Strait of Hormuz [7]. This diplomatic failure at the UN represents a significant setback for Gulf states seeking international backing to counter Iran’s blockade, which began on 28 February following the onset of hostilities between the US-Israel coalition and Iran [3][7]. The previous context of this crisis, detailed in our earlier coverage of Trump’s ultimatum and the resulting oil market turmoil, can be found here: https://kakuma.bytes.news/624533a-Iran-crisis-global-oil-prices/.

Resolution Stripped of Military Authorisation

The final draft resolution, seen by news agencies, bore little resemblance to Bahrain’s original proposal, which would have authorised member states to use ‘all necessary means,’ including military force, to guarantee maritime transit through the Strait of Hormuz [2]. Instead, the watered-down version merely ‘strongly encourages States interested in the use of commercial maritime routes in the Strait of Hormuz to coordinate efforts, defensive in nature’ [5]. The text endorsed efforts ‘to deter attempts to close, obstruct or otherwise interfere with international navigation through the Strait of Hormuz’ and suggested contributions could include ‘the escort of merchant and commercial vessels’ [5]. Diplomatic sources indicated that Russia and China, along with France, had opposed any language that could legitimise the use of force against Iran from the outset [2].

Economic and Humanitarian Pressures Mount

The ongoing conflict has created mounting pressure on both critical infrastructure and humanitarian services across the Middle East, with displacement remaining high and aid access constrained [6]. Iran has targeted civilian infrastructure in more than 10 countries since the war began, including hotels, airports, and residential buildings in Gulf neighbours [7]. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz—through which one-fifth of the world’s oil typically passes—continues to impact global energy markets as the conflict enters its fifth week [7]. Oil prices have surged since the US and Israel struck Iran at the end of February, creating ripple effects across commodity markets that affect regions as far as East Africa [5].

Geopolitical Divisions Deepen at UN

The veto by Russia and China, with Colombia and Pakistan abstaining, underscored deep divisions within the Security Council over how to respond to tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz [2]. China’s UN Ambassador Fu Cong argued that authorising force would be ‘legitimizing the unlawful and indiscriminate use of force, which would inevitably lead to further escalation of the situation and lead to serious consequences’ [5]. Russia and China’s ambassadors have consistently blamed the US and Israel for starting the war, telling the Security Council that ending military operations immediately should be the priority [7]. UN human rights chief Volker Türk described President Trump’s threat to annihilate Iranian civilisation as ‘sickening’ [6]. Despite the diplomatic setback, analysts suggest Bahrain and its backers secured ‘a clear diplomatic rejection of Iran’s obstruction of the Strait,’ even without obtaining authorisation for the use of force [3].

Bronnen

UN Security Council Strait of Hormuz