New York (Web Desk): The UN Security Council on Wednesday approved a Bahrain-backed resolution condemning Iran’s retaliatory strikes on several Persian Gulf nations, with Pakistan lending its support amid the escalating Middle East crisis.
Thirteen of the 15 Council members voted in favor, while Russia and China abstained.
A second resolution, drafted by Russia to call for a complete halt to all military operations in the region, failed to pass. It received four votes in favor—from Russia, China, Pakistan, and Somalia—two against (the US and Latvia), with nine abstentions, falling short of the nine votes required.
Both resolutions were aimed at addressing the escalating conflict sparked by US-Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28 and the subsequent Iranian retaliations across the Gulf.
Russia’s UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya explained his abstention on the Bahraini text, calling it “extremely unbalanced” and saying it “does not meet the purpose” of maintaining international peace and security.
Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, who supported both measures, said, “This is a conflict that should never have happened,” adding that it was unfortunate the Council could not unify behind a comprehensive response. “That’s the sad reality,” he remarked, pointing out the global as well as regional impact of the conflict.
“When international law is violated, peace is imperiled, not advanced,” he stressed, urging an immediate end to hostilities and a return to dialogue. He emphasized that only a peaceful resolution would serve everyone’s interests.
Ambassador Ahmad further noted, “The deplorable turn of events unfolding in the region –from the initiation of unwarranted attacks on the Islamic Republic of Iran on February 28th, which Pakistan also condemned – have seriously jeopardised international peace and security, given rise to grave consequences, and unnecessarily embroiled the entire region.”
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Iran’s sovereignty and expressed concern over instability there. Highlighting wider consequences, he said two Pakistani nationals were killed in UAE attacks, fuel supplies were disrupted, and several aviation links were affected.
The Bahraini resolution, with a record 135 co-sponsors, demands the immediate cessation of all Iranian attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Jordan.
It labels the strikes a serious threat to regional stability, reaffirms the right of commercial vessels to navigate international waters, and condemns attempts to disrupt passage through the Strait of Hormuz or the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait.
Iran launched the strikes in response to US-Israeli attacks that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and others, causing major damage within Iran.
Ambassador Ahmad noted, “Our positive vote on the draft resolution introduced by Bahrain signifies the affirmation of Pakistan’s strong solidarity with the brotherly countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan and underscored Pakistan’s condemnation of all the unwarranted attacks faced by them, especially those targeting civilians, civilian objects and critical civilian infrastructure.”
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence of the Gulf states.
Bahrain’s UN Ambassador Jamal Alrowaiei expressed the Gulf Cooperation Council’s gratitude, stressing that the region is “a lifeline for the global economy and a vital corridor for international trade and energy security,” and that protecting navigation and infrastructure is a shared international responsibility.
Russia’s Ambassador Nebenzya criticized the Council for ignoring attacks on Iran itself, noting that “the attacks against the territory of Iran itself, not to mention those who are behind them and carrying them out, are not only not condemned in the document, they’re just simply left out.”
He also condemned the US for ignoring regional requests not to use Arab territories for strikes against Iran.
China’s Ambassador Fu Cong lamented the failure of Moscow’s draft, declaring, “This is a war that should not have happened, and a war that benefits no one.”
Iran’s Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani called the Bahraini resolution “a manifest injustice against my country, the main victim of a clear act of aggression,” adding that it undermines the Council’s credibility and leaves a “lasting stain on its record.”