On Saturday, April 7, Russia and China exercised their veto power in the UN Security Council, blocking a resolution on the unblocking of the Strait of Hormuz. The final vote showed a significant divide: 11 countries voted "in favor," two abstained, while Russia and China voted "against."
According to The Times of Israel, the decision was made just hours before the deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump for Iran. Under Washington's conditions, Tehran must ensure free transit by 8:00 PM Eastern Time, otherwise Iran faces strikes on key infrastructure targets - power plants and bridges.
Experts note that even if the resolution had been adopted, it would hardly have fundamentally changed the situation in a war that has already been ongoing for five weeks. To achieve at least neutrality from Moscow and Beijing, the authors of the document made unprecedented concessions, diluting the wording as much as possible. The original draft proposed by Bahrain called for the use of "all necessary means" (which in UN language means a direct sanction for military action) to protect shipping. However, due to the hardline stance of Russia, China, and France, references to offensive operations were completely removed.
In the final version, which was vetoed today, countries were only offered to "coordinate defensive efforts commensurate with the circumstances." Thus, any hints at the forcible opening of the strait by force disappeared from the text. Nevertheless, even such a compromise version did not satisfy Russia and China. The situation around this vital transport artery remains critical, and the failure of diplomatic efforts in New York significantly increases the risk of direct military confrontation in the region in the coming hours.
