The UN Security Council on Wednesday adopted a Bahrain-sponsored resolution condemning Iran’s attacks on the territories of several Gulf states.
Thirteen members of the 15-nation council voted in favour of the measure, while Russia and China abstained.
The resolution was written by Bahrain and submitted on behalf of the Gulf Co-operation Council, and condemns in the strongest terms missile and drone attacks carried out by Iran.
The text, which has a record number of 136 co-sponsors, “demands the immediate cessation of all attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran against Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan".
It describes the attacks as a serious threat to regional stability and international peace and security.
The resolution reaffirms the right of merchant and commercial ships to navigate international waters and condemns “any actions or threats by the Islamic Republic of Iran aimed at closing, obstructing, or otherwise interfering with international navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, or threatening maritime security in the Bab Al Mandeb”.
It warns that any attempt to impede lawful passage or freedom of navigation in these international waterways constitutes a serious threat to international peace.
Iran has struck Gulf states in retaliation to US-Israeli attacks that killed Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iranian forces have also fired on commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial sea passage for the global fuel trade, in a bid to inflict pain on the global economy.
After the vote, Bahrain’s ambassador to the UN, Jamal Alrowaiei, expressed his “deepest gratitude” on behalf of the GCC.
“This region is a lifeline for the global economy and a vital corridor for international trade and energy security,” he said.
Mr Alrowaiei underscored the strategic importance of the Gulf to global economic stability and the need to protect navigation and critical infrastructure in the region.
“Ensuring the security of this region is not merely a regional concern,” he added. “It is a shared international responsibility that is closely linked to the stability of the global economy.”
Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed, said in a statement on social media that the adoption of the resolution by the council reflects a “clear international stance that rejects these attacks and increases Iran's isolation”.
“Respect for state sovereignty and adherence to international law remain the foundation for security and stability in the region,” he added.
Vasily Nebenzya, Russia’s UN ambassador, said Moscow abstained because it found the text “extremely unbalanced” in not mentioning the strikes against Tehran that began the war.
Mr Nebenzya said it might leave the impression that Iran, “on its own volition and out of malice, conducted an unprovoked attack on Arab states.”
“The attacks against the territory of Iran itself, not to mention those who are behind them and carrying them out, are not only not condemned in the document, they're just simply left out and the Security Council has just signed off to that,” he added.
Iran’s UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani denounced the resolution as a “manifest injustice” against Tehran, saying it “distorts the realities on the ground deliberately.”
“The very state responsible for this brutal war of aggression against my country—the regime of the United States—sits on the other side of this chamber as president of the Council, abusing its position while obstructing every effort to bring an end to this barbaric war against the Iranian people,” he said.
The UN Security Council also voted on a competing draft resolution put forward by Russia, condemning all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure and calling for their protection in line with international humanitarian law.
The measure was not adopted after it failed to obtain the required number of votes.
The US and Latvia voted against the draft, while Russia, China and Pakistan voted in favour. Nine members abstained.
