US targets Iran at UN over Strait of Hormuz
US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz (Photo: Getty Images)
The US, together with Gulf countries, is preparing a new UN Security Council resolution draft condemning Iran for blocking the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters.
As US Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz stated, negotiations on the document are scheduled for this week. The new initiative comes after a previous draft resolution was blocked by Russia and China.
According to him, the document is being drafted jointly with Bahrain, taking into account input from Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.
The resolution is expected to include demands that Iran stop attacking commercial vessels, abandon attempts to impose transit fees for crossing the strait, halt the mining of shipping lanes, and disclose information about mines already laid.
Waltz emphasized that the new document will be narrower than the previous version and will focus primarily on the safety of international shipping.
"This is much more focused on mining international waterways and on tolling, which all of the economies of the world are affected by, particularly those in Asia," he added.
Earlier in April, a resolution on protecting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz failed at the UN Security Council. The document, introduced by Bahrain and supported by 11 of the Council's 15 members, was vetoed by Russia and China.
This happened even though the text had been significantly softened – including the removal of any references to the use of force.
