Russia, China Veto UN Strait of Hormuz Resolution

Russia and China vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Tuesday that sought to safeguard commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, deepening international divisions over a waterway vital to global energy supplies. The measure, proposed by Bahrain and backed by the United States and several Gulf states, received 11 votes in favor and two abstentions from Pakistan and Colombia, but the vetoes by the two permanent members blocked its adoption.

The resolution emerged amid escalating tensions in the region following a war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28. Iran has since imposed restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman through which about one-fifth of the world's oil typically flows. Tehran maintains that it has not fully blocked the strait but requires vessels to coordinate passage due to heightened security risks, and it has barred ships linked to the United States, Israel, or their allies. This has effectively halted much of the traffic, triggering widespread economic fallout including soaring fuel prices, supply rationing in parts of Asia, and disruptions to global...