Draft resolution on Hormuz revised ahead of vote

The UN Security Council has scheduled a vote for Tuesday on a draft resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, after its wording was changed for the second time due to opposition from Russia and China.

Al Jazeera Arabic reported that the original draft resolution, submitted by Bahrain, would have given states a mandate to use "all necessary means", a phrase used by the United Nations that can include military action, to ensure passage through this vital waterway and deter any attempts to close it.

But the sixth version of the text, which will be voted on, "strongly encourages" countries that use the Strait of Hormuz to coordinate their defence efforts to contribute to ensuring safe navigation in the strait.