UAE 'deeply regrets' failure by UN Security Council to endorse Hormuz resolution

The UAE said it "deeply regrets" the failure of the UN Security Council to adopt a draft resolution to immediately end Iran's attempts to disrupt commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz must remain open to all, and the freedom of navigation must be preserved, the UAE reiterated.

In a statement, the UAE Mission to the UN said: "No country should have the power to shut down the arteries of global commerce and drive the world to the brink of economic calamity".

The UAE added that it will "continue to push for international efforts to restore the Strait of Hormuz and work with partners to advance coordinated action to secure navigation and restore the flow of global commerce".

It also thanked Bahrain "for its leadership on the Security Council and for its diplomatic efforts".

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi also condemned the UN's Security Council's failure to adopt the draft resolution, stating that it "directly contributes to encouraging and sustaining sinful Iranian aggressions against the freedom of navigation and the safety of vessels".

"Any attempts to impose a de facto status by force or to exploit the strait as a tool for political pressure constitute behaviour that is rejected and condemned both regionally and internationally," he asserted.

On Tuesday, China and Russia vetoed a Bahraini resolution to keep the Strait open to commercial shipping.