The Strait of Hormuz is more than a narrow maritime channel between Iran and Oman — it is a strategic chokepoint through which about 20–25% of global seaborne oil trade and significant volumes of liquefied natural gas pass daily. When tension flares here, energy prices surge, insurance premiums spike, and the United Nation Security Council faces a stark test of whether it can act cohesively to protect freedom of navigation. This Analysis examines the full factual picture — statistics, stakeholder statements, and diplomatic positions — and explains why the Strait of Hormuz has become both a flashpoint for regional conflict and a litmus test for United Nation unity.
On May 23, 2026, Arab News reported that France is preparing its own UN Security Council resolution on threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz after a US–Bahraini draft stalled in diplomatic negotiations. The US–Bahraini text demanded that Iran immediately cease all attacks and threats against merchant and commercial vessels and stop laying mines in the strait. But China and Russia vetoed a similar US-backed resolution in April, blocking that measure and exposing deep divisions within the Council.
The Strategic Importance of the Strait of Hormuz
A Global Energy Chokepoint in Crisis
The Strait of Hormuz is located off the southern coast of Iran and serves as the only sea outlet for Iran, as well as the main maritime出口 for oil and gas from the Persian Gulf. According to United Nation and industry data, approximately 20% of the world’s oil supply passes through the strait, and about a quarter of global seaborne oil trade and large volumes of liquefied natural gas (LNG), fertilizers, and other commodities transit here. Disruptions here have immediate global consequences: when QatarEnergy suspended LNG production after attacks on its facilities, natural gas prices surged nearly 50% in Europe and almost 40% in Asia.
Since late February 2026 — following US and Israeli airstrikes against Iran and Tehran’s counterstrikes across the region — the security situation in the Gulf has deteriorated sharply. In less than two days, six vessels were assaulted in the Gulf, bringing the total number of attacks since the conflict began to 18, according to UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and Vanguard maritime intelligence. Ten verified attacks have targeted oil terminals and depots in Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. The UK Maritime Trade Operations documented two incidents involving ships being struck in the strait; one tanker was fired upon by IRGC gunboats without radio warning, though crew remained unharmed. Following these incidents, multiple vessels turned back or altered routes, increasing risk premiums and disrupting supply chains.
Iran has explicitly threatened to block the strait. A high-ranking IRGC official declared:
“The strait is closed. If anyone tries to pass, the heroes of the Revolutionary Guard and the regular navy will set those ships ablaze.”
— Ebrahim Jabari, IRGC official. Another senior figure stated:
“We will also strike oil pipelines and ensure that not a single drop of oil departs from the region.”
— Ebrahim Jabari, IRGC official. Iran further declared:
“We will not allow even a single litre of oil heading for the US, Israel and their partners to pass through the strait.”
— Iranian government.
The UN Security Council Drama: From US–Bahraini Draft to French Counter-Proposal
The US–Bahraini Resolution: Demanding Iran Stop Attacks
On May 2026, the United States and Bahrain circulated a draft Security Council resolution calling on Iran to cease attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. The draft was supported by Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, whose representatives joined the ambassadors in briefings at UN Headquarters in New York. Key elements of the US–Bahraini text include a demand that Iran immediately cease all attacks and threats against merchant and commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, provisions addressing the placement of mines and illegal tolling in the critical maritime channel, and reference to UN efforts to establish a humanitarian corridor in the strait. The text operates under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which permits the Council to impose sanctions or even authorize military intervention, though it does not explicitly authorize force.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio framed the resolution as a pivotal moment for the United Nation:
“The US–Bahraini resolution demanding Iran stop attacks and laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz is a test of the utility of the United Nations,”
— Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State. He urged China and Russia to refrain from further vetoes. US Ambassador Mike Waltz emphasized the global stakes:
“Freedom of navigation for the entire global economy is what’s at stake here – nothing less than a cornerstone of worldwide stability and commerce.”
— Mike Waltz, US Ambassador to the UN. He warned:
“Those who abuse it, or seek to throw it out, are setting a very, very dangerous precedent – and frankly setting the stage to doom global trade.”
— Mike Waltz, US Ambassador to the UN.
The draft also addressed Tehran’s recent announcement of a Persian Gulf Straits Authority requiring international ship captains to pay a toll when transiting the waterway, which Washington called unacceptable normalization.
The April Veto: China and Russia Shield Iran
In April 2026, a Bahraini resolution supported by the US aimed at legitimizing military action against Iran was rejected after Russia and China exercised their veto powers in the 15-member Security Council. The UK explained its vote after the veto:
“Yet that is exactly what Iran is doing, by denying the right of transit passage, a key navigational right under international law… 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.”
— Archie Young, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN. The UK added:
“We supported Bahrain’s initiative, and it is deeply regrettable that this resolution did not pass.”
— Archie Young, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN.
Al Jazeera reported that China and Russia performed a “double veto”, essentially killing the resolution. Bahrain’s foreign minister told the Council:
“Iran’s attacks in the Strait endanger the wellbeing and livelihoods of millions of people around the world.”
— Bahrain Foreign Minister.
France Steps In: Readying a New Text After the US Draft Stalls
After the US–Bahraini draft stalled, France is preparing its own UN Security Council resolution on Hormuz, seeking language that can attract broader support. The article notes that France is reworking language and conducting diplomatic outreach to secure votes or abstentions from non-permanent Council members. The French move reflects a classic diplomatic tactic: when a firm sponsors’ text cannot get nine affirmative votes or is threatened by vetoes, sponsors rework wording — less naming, softer verbs, calls for investigations, or broader condemnations — to create a viable United Nation resolution.
Why the Strait of Hormuz Is a Test for UN Unity
The Hormuz crisis exposes three structural weaknesses in the United Nation system: P5 Division, Enforcement Gap, and Credibility Risk. Permanent members (US, China, Russia) are fundamentally divided on how to address security incidents attributed to Iran. Even when language is agreed, without P5 unity, the Council cannot impose sanctions or authorize force. Repeated vetoes on issues with clear global economic impact erode confidence in the Council’s ability to protect freedom of navigation.
As Marco Rubio put it, the resolution is “a test of the utility of the United Nations.” If the Council cannot act here — where 20–25% of global oil trade is at stake — its credibility on other maritime security issues will suffer further. This Analysis shows that the Strait of Hormuz remains both a strategic chokepoint and a test for United Nation unity.
France’s effort to draft a new resolution reflects a realistic understanding that naming Iran alone will not solve maritime threats without regional confidence-building and P5 compromise. The crucial question is whether softer language can secure enough votes without triggering new vetoes — and whether any resolution, even if passed, can meaningfully deter attacks or mine-laying in the Strait of Hormuz.
What is undeniable is that the Strait of Hormuz remains both a strategic chokepoint and a test for United Nation unity. The coming weeks will show whether the Security Council can adapt its diplomacy to protect global commerce — or whether it will remain paralyzed while the world’s most critical energy corridor teeters on the brink of closure. This Analysis underscores that the United Nation must overcome its internal divisions if it hopes to remain relevant in safeguarding global maritime security.
