Russia and China Block UN Resolution on Strait of Hormuz After Trump's Deadline Threat

Russia and China exercised their veto power at the UN Security Council on Tuesday, defeating a resolution intended to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The 11-2 vote, with Pakistan and Colombia abstaining, occurred hours after U.S. President Donald Trump issued a dramatic ultimatum to Iran. Trump warned that an entire civilization would perish overnight if Iran failed to open the strategic waterway and reach a deal before his 8 p.m. deadline. The resolution, introduced by Bahrain, had been substantially diluted in an attempt to secure abstentions from Moscow and Beijing rather than outright vetoes. Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani criticized the failed vote, stating it sent a dangerous signal that threats to international waterways could proceed without decisive action from the UN. He had previously questioned whether the global community would tolerate being held hostage to economic blackmail, referencing Iran's blockade's impact on global trade and food security. The strait typically handles one-fifth of the world's oil, and Iran's wartime control has driven energy prices sharply higher. Observers noted that even if passed, the weakened resolution was unlikely to affect the ongoing conflict, now in its sixth week.