Bahrain calls on Iran to immediately stop its attacks

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday it would be “regrettable” if a U.N. Security Council resolution on the Strait of Hormuz did not pass, adding: “Let’s see if the U.N. still works.”

Iran must immediately cease its attacks and threats against ships.

The draft resolution introduced by Bahrain calls on Iran to immediately stop its attacks and threats against ships in the strait and to end attacks on Persian Gulf states. It also addresses Iran’s efforts to place sea mines in the vital waterway and impose tolls on commercial vessels using the strait.

Speaking to reporters before a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Sweden, Rubio said the draft resolution had “the highest number of co-sponsors of any resolution” in the council, the UN body tasked with maintaining peace and security through legally binding resolutions.

“Unfortunately, some countries in the Security Council are considering vetoing it,” he said. “That would be regrettable.”

A similar resolution, also introduced by Bahrain, was vetoed last month by China and Russia, which, like the US and the council’s two other permanent members, can unilaterally block a measure.

“We are doing everything we need to do to achieve global consensus to prevent such an event from happening again,” Rubio said. “Let’s see if the UN still works.”

“Almost every country represented here today” has co-sponsored the resolution, he said, “and if they haven’t done so, I’m sure they will do so soon because I don’t know anybody in the world… who would be in favour of a tolling system in international waterways.”

Iran’s Ambassador, Amir Saeed Iravani, told reporters in early May that the draft was “extremely flawed and one-sided.”

Saeed argued that the solution to the crisis in the strait is a permanent end to his country’s US–Israeli war and the US blockade of Iranian ports and ships.