Russia and China veto UN resolution to reopen Strait of Hormuz

Johannesburg
Eyewitness News

Eyewitness News

7 April 2026 | 18:00

At least 20% of the world’s traded crude oil and liquefied natural gas flows through the channel.

Russia and China veto UN resolution to reopen Strait of Hormuz

Members of the United Nations Security Council vote on a resolution calling for the unblocking of the Strait of Hormuz, during a UN Security Council meeting on Iran and the Middle East at UN headquarters in New York on April 7, 2026. Picture: TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP.

Russia and China have vetoed a UN Security Council resolution seeking to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane that serves as a crucial sea passage.

At least 20% of the world’s traded crude oil and liquefied natural gas flows through the channel.

Disruptions, such as ongoing tensions with Iran, have caused global oil prices to surge.

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa urges immediate Middle East ceasefire amid global economic fallout

Tuesday’s vote took place just hours before a deadline set by US President Donald Trump for Iran to open the strategic waterway or face attacks on its power plants and bridges.

The vetoed resolution strongly encouraged states interested in the use of commercial maritime routes in the Strait of Hormuz to coordinate and ensure the safety and security of navigation across the channel.

Trending News