Manama
\nBahrain has put forward a draft UN Security Council resolution that would authorise countries to use \u201call necessary means\u201d – diplomatic language for force – to protect commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz, according to a text seen by Reuters on Monday.
\nDiplomats said the draft text was backed by other Gulf Arab states and the United States, although they said it was unlikely to get through the council, where Russia and China had veto power.
\nFrance circulated a more conciliatory alternative draft resolution, seen by Reuters, on Monday evening.<\/p>\n
The move underscores mounting concern in the region that Iran could continue to threaten the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint that carries about a fifth of global oil supplies and underpins Gulf economies.<\/p>\n
Closing the Strait has been one of Iran\u2019s main objectives. Shipping through the waterway has ground to a near-\u2060halt after Iran hit vessels in its conflict with the US and Israel.<\/p>\n
The draft resolution calls Iran\u2019s actions a threat to international peace and security.<\/p>\n
The Bahraini text would authorise countries, acting alone or through voluntary multinational naval coalitions, to use \u201call necessary means\u201d in and around the Strait of Hormuz \u2013 including in the territorial waters of countries along its shores \u2013 to ensure passage and to prevent moves that block or interfere with international navigation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Manama Bahrain has put forward a draft UN Security Council resolution that would authorise countries to use \u201call necessary means\u201d – diplomatic language for force – to protect commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz, according to a text seen by Reuters on Monday. Diplomats said the draft text was backed by other […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":538082,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-538066","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n