Trump threatened to withdraw from Iran after launching an attack, leaving the mess in the Strait of Hormuz to allies. On Thursday, the UK convened an emergency meeting with over 40 countries to discuss reopening plans without U.S. involvement. Meanwhile, Bahrain’s push for a resolution at the Security Council authorizing military force to secure the strait was blocked.
According to a Bloomberg report, more than 40 U.S. allies held a meeting on Thursday to discuss plans for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. This move aims to signal to U.S. President Trump that the international community is deeply concerned about the crisis in this waterway triggered by his conflict with Iran.
The United Kingdom convened nations from Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, as well as Australia and Canada, to jointly deliberate on diplomatic engagement strategies with Tehran and potential sanctions that could be imposed if Iran refuses to reopen this critical channel for global energy supplies.
The virtual meeting appears to demonstrate the collective stance of dozens of U.S. allies: Trump should not withdraw without finding a solution for the strait — a threat he has repeatedly made. Participants are concerned that Trump might conclude his military operations in Iran without a plan to reopen the waterway, leaving the consequences for allies to manage.
According to informed sources, the international community has made it clear that the United States must include a resolution for the Strait of Hormuz in its ceasefire negotiations with Iran. Nevertheless, the virtual meeting indicates that these countries believe it is necessary to begin preparing to reopen the strait without U.S. involvement.
Trump has strongly criticized NATO countries for their reluctance to deploy their own troops to the waterway, even threatening to leave the alliance. Thursday's meeting seems to be an attempt by the UK, France, and other European nations recently targeted by Trump to demonstrate their willingness to contribute to a solution for the Strait of Hormuz.
According to a statement by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among the countries participating in the teleconference, Japan called for international cooperation to establish a safe maritime corridor for all vessels and crew currently stranded in the Persian Gulf.
According to the statement, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, who attended the meeting, also 'emphasized the importance of each country making its utmost effort to ensure stable energy supplies.'
Military planners from the coalition nations will meet next week to discuss how to deploy their naval assets after the cessation of hostilities to assist in patrolling the strait and clearing mines. The vast majority of countries in the coalition are unwilling to attempt to forcibly reopen the waterway, as they consider it an unfeasible solution and believe the crisis cannot be resolved without Iran's consent.
Participants view the United Nations as a crucial element in exerting diplomatic pressure on Iran and emphasized collaboration with Gulf partners to promote the restoration of freedom of navigation.
Informed sources stated that Iran's attempt to introduce a toll system would set an unhelpful precedent, while ensuring free passage through the strait has garnered widespread support. The meeting also discussed economic measures, including sanctions, to ensure Iran cannot continue to profit from the closure of the strait.
The proposal to forcibly reopen the Strait of Hormuz has encountered resistance at the United Nations.
According to a report by The New York Times, a diplomat and a senior UN official stated that Russia, France, and others effectively blocked an effort by Arab states on Thursday to push for UN Security Council authorization of military action against Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, opposing any language authorizing the use of force.
The resolution, drafted by Bahrain with support from Persian Gulf Arab states, is expected to be put to a formal vote on Friday. However, it remains unclear whether additional hours of diplomatic efforts can persuade the three veto-wielding countries to change their stance. According to diplomats, divisions persist among the ten non-permanent members regarding the resolution.
After weeks of closed-door negotiations, the current draft resolution has undergone four revisions. Part of the text causing the deadlock states: the Security Council “authorizes member states – acting individually or through voluntary multilateral naval partnerships, and after prior notification to the Security Council” – to take all necessary measures “to ensure safe passage and prevent any attempts to close, obstruct, or otherwise interfere with international navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.”
Bahrain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, stated at a Security Council meeting on Thursday that Iran’s 'aggressive intentions' toward its Arab neighbors are 'treacherous' and 'premeditated,' violating international law. He also noted that Iran has attacked civilian facilities such as airports, water stations, seaports, and hotels.
Iran signaled on Thursday that it intends to continue regulating shipping traffic in the vital Strait of Hormuz even after the war ends.
For Iran, the joint opposition of its Arab neighbors in the Security Council represents a severe deterioration in bilateral relations, possibly irreparable. Over the years, Iran has cultivated closer ties with its neighbors, only for these efforts to collapse amid a month of warfare.
Analysts suggest that Bahrain’s efforts leading this initiative in the Security Council are more symbolic than pragmatic. Most Persian Gulf nations have relatively small armies and heavily rely on U.S. support. They possess minimal experience fighting against a military force of Iran’s scale.
French President Macron stated on Thursday that Trump’s call urging countries dependent on the strait to forcefully reopen it was unrealistic.
“It is unrealistic because it would take an extremely long time and expose anyone crossing the strait to threats from the Revolutionary Guard onshore – which possesses significant resources and ballistic missiles – in addition to a range of other risks,” Macron remarked.
Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Gulf Research Center, a Riyadh-based think tank, stated that any ceasefire agreement must address Iran's ability to attack Gulf states and control maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. 'We will not forget what they have done to us, and they will not forget that the United States has significant facilities in the Gulf region,' he said.
The blockade of the strait has cut off the main export routes for Arab countries, whose economies and government budgets heavily rely on fossil fuel revenues. Qatar, one of the world’s largest natural gas exporters, has been forced to completely halt production and declare force majeure, thereby breaching its contracts with buyers.
The Qatari government estimates that it will lose $20 billion in annual revenue. Prior to the war, most Gulf nations, including Saudi Arabia, maintained friendly relations with Iran. Analysts noted that Saudi and Emirati officials, in particular, believed that the best way to address the Iranian threat was through diplomacy and shared economic interests.
Bahrain is an exception. This island nation, ruled by a Sunni royal family but with a majority Shiite population, has long had hostile relations with Iran, accusing Tehran of interfering in its internal affairs and inciting dissent.
However, even countries like Qatar and Oman, which often act as mediators between the U.S. and Iran, have indicated that their relations with Iran may have suffered irreparable damage. They have handed over their mediator role to Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt.
Ali Vaez, director of the International Crisis Group’s Iran program, stated that the resolution proposed by Bahrain is flawed and risks escalating regional tensions. He pointed out that the closure of the strait was a consequence of the war, whereas the waterway had been open prior to the military strikes. 'It treats a political crisis as something that can be resolved with the barrel of a gun,' he said.
Editor/Doris