Bahrain seeks UN backing to protect Hormuz shipping

Bahrain has submitted a draft United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution that would authorise the use of ‘all necessary means’ to protect commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz, according to a draft document seen by Reuters on Monday.

Diplomats said the proposal is backed by other Gulf countries and the United States, but its adoption is unlikely due to an expected veto by Russia and China, which are allies of Iran.

The draft resolution describes Iran’s actions as a threat to international peace and security. The move underscores growing concern in the region that Tehran could continue to threaten the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint through which around a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes and which is vital to the economies of Gulf states.

The text would also authorise individual states or voluntary multinational naval coalitions to use ‘all necessary means’, including force, to secure shipping, including in the territorial waters of coastal states. It also envisages the possibility of further measures, including targeted sanctions.

(reuters, im)