On Thursday (April 2nd), Gulf countries declared their support for a United Nations resolution authorizing “all necessary measures” to safeguard navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The phrase “all necessary measures” is a commonly used term in the United Nations, which can include military actions.
During a United Nations Security Council meeting, Jassim Albudaiwi, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, stated that Iran’s retaliatory attacks against neighboring countries have crossed “all red lines.”
Albudaiwi emphasized that all six member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council must participate in any discussions or agreements with Iran on ensuring regional security.
Bahrain, the current rotating chair of the Gulf Cooperation Council, expressed hope for a vote on a resolution on Friday (the 3rd). The resolution calls on countries to “take all necessary means” to ensure international passage through the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf, and the Gulf of Oman.
However, the resolution faced strong opposition from Russia and China, both of which have veto power in the UN Security Council.
The UN Security Council scheduled a vote on the resolution proposed by Bahrain for Friday at 11 a.m. According to the final draft obtained by the Associated Press on Thursday, the resolution has been significantly weakened from its original proposal.
The final version authorizes countries to use “all necessary and proportionate defensive measures” in line with the actual situation in the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waters to ensure safe passage and prevent any attempts to disrupt international navigation, with a “minimum duration of six months.”
President Trump has repeatedly stated that the United States has a low reliance on oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, so it should be countries that depend on oil from the Strait of Hormuz – primarily Asian countries – that take the lead.
In fact, Trump has even suggested that once the conflict settles, the Strait of Hormuz could automatically reopen.
Despite the low U.S. reliance on oil from the Strait of Hormuz, the transportation in the strait is closely tied to the global oil and financial markets, which naturally impacts American consumers.