Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg
On Wednesday, UN Security Council members started closed consultations on a new draft resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed since Feb. 28. Iranian missile and drone attacks against the UAE on Monday and several other attacks against shipping in the waterway’s vicinity are adding extra urgency to these deliberations.
Iran has continued to lay mines in the strait and impose tolls and other restrictions on the passage of international vessels, allowing transit only to vessels authorized by its military.
Keeping the waterway closed has been an irresponsible act on Iran’s part. An earlier attempt to pass a UNSC resolution on April 7 was vetoed by China and Russia, emboldening Iran to continue its unlawful behavior. Disagreements between Europe and the US have also delayed coordinated action to keep it open. The UK and France-led “Hormuz Coalition” will not act until “conditions permit” and when there is a “sustainable” ceasefire.
In addition to its immediate impact on peace and security, the closure has affected nearly every country in the world. The cutoff of exports from the Gulf of oil, gas, petrochemicals and industrial gases has had catastrophic results. The International Energy Agency has said this is the “largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market.” Thousands of ships and sailors are stranded in the Gulf, the Arabian Sea or the high seas waiting to pass through the waterway. Rising energy and fertilizer prices and higher shipping and insurance costs have had especially negative effects on food security around the world.
In addition to acute supply shortages, the International Monetary Fund, which has already cut its global gross domestic product growth forecast for 2026 from 3.3 percent to 3.1 percent, has warned of a possible worldwide recession. There are many cases of currency volatility, inflation and heightened risks of stagflation and recession, especially in developing and vulnerable countries. Interest rate reductions are expected to be postponed or conversely increased in light of the increased inflation caused by supply shortages and speculation. Stock markets have experienced declines globally and there has been a global bonds market sell-off.
These disastrous conditions around the world should not be allowed to continue and that is the aim of the current UNSC draft resolution. The text under consideration recognizes that Iran’s “recurring attacks and threats” against merchant and commercial vessels and its activities aimed at obstructing lawful transit through the strait, including the placement of sea mines and the imposition of illegal tolls, constitute a threat to international peace and security, placing the issue under Chapter VII of the UN Charter and opening the door for potential enforcement measures.
The draft reaffirms that all vessels and aircraft have the right to transit through the Strait of Hormuz without hindrance, in accordance with international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. It calls on Iran to immediately cease its attacks and threats against commercial shipping and refrain from impeding navigation, collecting tolls and laying mines, while removing existing ones. It also reaffirms the right of states to defend their vessels against attacks and prohibits countries from assisting Iran in closing or restricting the strait. It also includes the establishment of a UN “humanitarian corridor” in the strait to ensure the flow of essential goods, including food and fertilizers.
By establishing that the closure constitutes a threat to international peace and security, the draft lays the ground for coercive measures under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, including sanctions and the use of force.
Action by the UNSC to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is needed soon, because failing to do so will only push the countries affected by the closure to use force in self-defense. UN action would obviate unilateral action and place the matter under the oversight of the council and other UN organizations, such as the International Maritime Organization. A system could be organized by the latter, protected by UN peacekeepers, to regulate traffic through the strait for as long as is necessary and ensure that the rights of all nations to safe transit through the waterway are safeguarded.
The Gulf Cooperation Council, headed by Bahrain, its rotating presidency, is leading on the UNSC draft. On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced America’s support for the effort. France and the UK have also expressed support. It is hoped that, this time around, China and Russia will allow the resolution to pass; the passage of time since they cast their veto last month has made matters worse.
Failing to pass this resolution would be an abdication of the responsibility of the permanent UNSC members to uphold the UN Charter and discharge the council’s responsibility to restore peace and security and prevent a global economic meltdown.
• Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg is the GCC assistant secretary-general for political affairs and negotiation. The views expressed here are personal and do not necessarily represent those of the GCC. X: @abuhamad1
