France, Russia and China block UN vote on Iran war — NYT
Vote on resolutions expected on Friday (Photo: Getty Images)
Yesterday, Thursday, April 2, France, China, and Russia effectively blocked an attempt by Arab countries to secure UN Security Council authorization for military action against Iran in order to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to The New York Times.
A vote on the resolution drafted by Bahrain, with the support of the Gulf Arab countries, is expected on Friday. However, it remains unclear whether Russia, China, and France can be brought on board.
These three countries are among the permanent members of the Security Council and hold veto power. According to a diplomat and a senior UN official, Paris, Moscow, and Beijing oppose any language that would allow the use of military force.
Furthermore, sources say that disagreements over the resolution have also arisen among the 10 non-permanent members of the UN Security Council.
The current draft of the document is in its fourth version after several weeks of closed negotiations. The part of the text that has caused the impasse states that the Security Council authorizes member states to use all necessary means to ensure passage and prevent attempts to close the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, Iran has made it clear that it intends to continue controlling navigation through the Strait of Hormuz even after the war.
Strait of Hormuz
After the start of the US and Israeli operation against Iran, Tehran effectively blocked the passage of tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. This caused an oil shortage worldwide, which led to a spike in prices.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has made contradictory statements regarding this strait. One day, he says the US does not need the strait, and another day, he demands that Iran open it. Against this backdrop, a conflict has emerged between the US and NATO countries, as Trump called on them to enter the war to unblock the strait, but they refused.
At the same time, yesterday, the WSJ reported that the UAE is preparing to help the US forcefully open the Strait of Hormuz. If this happens, it would be the first Gulf country to become a party to hostilities in response to Iran's attacks.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that Ukraine is also ready to contribute to unblocking the strait. In particular, the minister noted that our country's combat experience in countering naval blockades could be useful for protecting navigation.
But there are other opinions. For example, French President Emmanuel Macron considers any attempt to open the Strait of Hormuz by military means unrealistic.
