Gulf countries’ demand to end attacks by Iran backed by 135 countries at UN Security Councilpublished at 22:48 GMT 11 March
22:48 GMT 11 March
Nada Tawfik
Reporting from the United Nations in New York
The Gulf countries’ draft garnered the largest number of co-sponsors on record for a resolution – 135 countries backed it.
Bahrain said it showed this was not just a regional matter, but recognition of the vital importance of the Gulf for global stability and energy security.
The US said Iran’s strategy of sowing chaos and holding neighbours hostage had clearly backfired.
Nevertheless, Russia and China both said they had abstained on the vote because the resolution didn’t fully reflect the root cause and overall picture of the conflict in a balanced manner.
The text did not mention the US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, which the UN Secretary General has also deemed a violation of the UN charter.
Russia also doubted the Gulf countries’ assertion that their territories weren’t being used to strike Iran.
Bahrain expressed sadness over that claim and said the Gulf countries had never been used to launch attacks.
Moscow’s competing draft – that instead urged ALL parties to stop fighting – failed to get enough votes to pass.
Iran accused those who supported the Gulf country’s draft of allowing political considerations to take precedence over the protection of the UN charter, calling it a stain on the council’s record.