GCC urges UN action to secure Strait of Hormuz amid Iranian restrictions

New York: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has asked the United Nations Security Council to authorise the use of force to safeguard the Strait of Hormuz, as Gulf states push for international action over Iranian restrictions on shipping through the strategic waterway.

Speaking on Thursday at the Security Council’s first meeting on cooperation with the GCC, Secretary General Jassem al-Budaiwi said Iran had disrupted commercial movement through the strait following US-Israeli strikes on the country that sparked a month-old war in the Middle East.

Al-Budaiwi said,

Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, prevented commercial vessels and oil tankers from transiting, and imposed conditions on some to pass through the Strait,

describing the situation as a threat to fuel supplies and the wider global economy.

He told the council that the body should act to ensure maritime security and the continuation of international navigation.

We call upon the Security Council to assume its full responsibility and take all necessary measures to protect maritime routes and ensure the safe continuation of international navigation,

he said.

The GCC includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman. Bahrain has put forward a draft resolution that would authorise states to use

all necessary measures

to guarantee free passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

However, the proposal has exposed divisions within the 15-member Security Council. According to diplomatic sources, Russia, China and France, all of which hold veto power, have raised strong objections despite several revisions to the draft.

A fifth version of the proposed text was circulated to council members on Thursday.

Divisions at the Security Council

Russia has publicly argued that any council response should address the broader causes of the crisis rather than focus narrowly on maritime access. Anna Evstigneeva, Russia’s deputy representative, said on Wednesday,

We want a Security Council decision that addresses the situation comprehensively with the root causes, and not one-sided and unbalanced,

.

France has also expressed reservations. French President Emmanuel Macron has said that a military operation aimed at reopening the strait is

unrealistic

.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important shipping lanes. In peacetime, about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies move through the passage. The near-total closure of the route is affecting the supply of key commodities, including oil, liquefied natural gas and fertiliser.

The disruption has already contributed to a sharp increase in energy prices, underlining the broader economic impact of the standoff.