U.S. and Gulf Allies Draft UN Resolution Against Iran

The United States and several Gulf Arab nations are co-drafting a United Nations Security Council resolution to condemn Iran for blocking the Strait of Hormuz. Working with Bahrain and incorporating input from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Kuwait, the proposal demands that Iran cease attacks on merchant shipping, stop imposing tolls on vessels, and disclose the locations of sea mines.

This diplomatic push follows a surge in maritime violence since late February, with at least 41 incidents reported in the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman. Recent attacks include a bulk carrier targeted by small craft on May 3 and a tanker hit by projectiles north of Fujairah on May 4. While Iran claimed to have struck a U.S. naval vessel to prevent its entry into the strait, the U.S. denied the allegation.

In response to the instability, the U.S. Navy established a blockade and launched the Freedom Project, using military vessels to escort commercial ships. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth reported that six ships from Iranian ports failed in their attempts to break this blockade. Meanwhile, the International Maritime Organization is developing a contingency evacuation framework for approximately 20,000 seafarers, warning that naval escorts are not a sustainable long-term solution for regional security.