The United Nations Security Council failed to pass a resolution aimed at securing the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, after Russia and China exercised their veto powers to block the measure — dealing a significant blow to international diplomatic efforts to defuse one of the world's most consequential energy crises.
The resolution, which had already been substantially watered down to remove references to military force in favour of a purely diplomatic approach, still fell short, with the vote ending 11-2.
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The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most critical oil chokepoint, handling roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies. The resolution was specifically aimed at preventing Iran from closing the strait — a threat that has sent energy prices climbing and rattled global markets.
Even after the phrase "all necessary means" was stripped from the text to make the resolution more palatable to Moscow and Beijing, both permanent members of the Security Council refused to support it, effectively killing the measure.
The diplomatic failure at the UN came as military tensions in the region escalated sharply overnight. A US official confirmed that American forces struck military targets on Iran's Kharg Island — the hub through which almost all of Iran's oil exports pass — though oil facilities themselves were not hit in the strikes.
US President Donald Trump framed the situation in stark terms as an 8 PM ET deadline he had imposed on Iran to reach a deal and reopen the strait approached.
"A whole civilisation will die tonight," Trump said, before adding a note of uncertainty: "Maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen; who knows?"
The combination of the failed UN vote, US military action, and Trump's deadline has significantly raised the stakes in a crisis that shows no immediate signs of resolution — with consequences for global energy supply, oil prices, and regional stability that extend well beyond the Persian Gulf.