Bahrain, as Security Council president, condemns attacks and vows to redraft resolution after vote fails

Representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain, speaking as president of the United Nations Security Council, said the Council failed to adopt a draft resolution aimed at addressing attacks and obstruction in the Strait of Hormuz and expressed "deep regret" at that outcome.

The statement framed Iran's conduct as unlawful and damaging to civilians and global markets. "Iran's systematic attacks have targeted our countries' civilians, residential areas, energy facilities, and critical infrastructure," the representative said, adding that the actions "violate international law and Security Council resolution 2817." The speaker argued those attacks were already producing "widespread consequences for the global economy, as well as food and energy security."

Bahrain, identified in the statement as the penholder and a directly affected state, described multiple rounds of negotiation to build consensus on the draft text and said the vote was postponed several times to allow additional consultations. The speaker said the penholder had "listened carefully, incorporated views in good faith" but that "the Council did not rise to the occasion" and the text was not adopted. The representative said Bahrain would "go back to the drawing table" and coordinate with partners to redraft a text that can reunite Council members.

The speech placed the issue in legal terms, invoking the United Nations Charter: "We will uphold our responsibility as sovereign states to protect our territorial integrity ... in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter," the representative said, and warned that regional restraint "cannot be expected to continue without limit."

On next steps, the speaker said Bahrain and regional partners including Gulf states and Jordan will "intensify diplomatic efforts both here and across other international platforms" and "continue our efforts to safeguard freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, ensure safe and lawful passage for international shipping, and support the recovery of regional and international markets and supply chains." The statement also warned of humanitarian risks, saying rising costs of food, transport and energy were "affecting millions" and placing tens of millions at risk of acute hunger.

The draft resolution was described as having been watered down during negotiations to accommodate concerns, and the representative urged Council members to focus on the balanced language. The statement concluded with a pledge to return to negotiations and pursue diplomatic avenues to deter further attacks and protect the region's citizens and residents.

The Security Council did not adopt the draft resolution during this session; Bahrain said it will pursue further diplomatic and procedural steps to try to achieve a consensus text.