China and Russia cast “no” votes! Iran: China and Russia firmly stand on the right side of history

Ask AI · What strategic considerations lie behind the China-Russia veto of the draft resolution

On-site: China and Russia cast no votes together; the UN Security Council rejects the draft resolution on the Strait of Hormuz

According to a report by Xinhua News Agency, on the 7th, Iran’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Iraavani, said in remarks after the vote in the Security Council that China and Russia exercised their veto power over the draft resolution concerning the Strait of Hormuz, blocking the Security Council from being misused, and firmly standing on the correct side of history.

Iraavani said: “China and Russia ensured that the Security Council does not become a tool for legitimizing acts of aggression. They firmly stood on the correct side of history. We extend our heartfelt thanks for the responsible conduct and constructive attitude of the two countries, as well as for their exercise of the veto power in full compliance with the principles of the UN Charter.”

Iraavani also thanked Colombia and Pakistan, saying that by casting abstention votes, the two countries demonstrated concerns that if the draft resolution were adopted, it would have serious consequences for regional peace and stability.

Iranian state-run Islamic Republic News Agency, citing Iraavani’s remarks, reported that those who support the draft resolution would blame Iran for the responsibility, while remaining silent about the war crimes that the United States and Israel have continued to commit against Iranian civilians and key infrastructure. “Their stance and their votes are double standards. This exposes a huge gap between the commitments they claim to make to the UN Charter and international humanitarian law and their actual conduct.”

On that day, the UN Security Council voted on the draft resolution on the Strait of Hormuz submitted by Bahrain. Of the 15 members, 11 voted in favor; Pakistan and Colombia abstained. With China and Russia, as permanent members, voting against, the draft was not adopted.

In an explanatory statement after the vote on the draft resolution on the Strait of Hormuz in the Security Council on the 7th, China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Fu Cong, said that against the backdrop of the United States openly threatening the survival of a “civilization,” and with this war being imposed on Iran very likely to further escalate, if the draft resolution were adopted, it would send extremely wrong signals and lead to extremely serious consequences.

Fu Cong said that in the current situation, the draft resolution should clearly identify the root causes of this war, seek the right approach to address that root cause and ensure the safety of the sea route, and work to encourage reconciliation and promote talks to achieve peace. Unfortunately, the draft resolution failed to comprehensively and in a balanced manner reflect the root causes and the full picture of the conflict. The contents such as one-sided condemnation and labeling it as a threat to international peace and security, as well as escorting with force, are all very prone to being misinterpreted or even abused.

According to a report by the TASS news agency, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Nebenzya, said that if the UN Security Council’s draft resolution on the Strait of Hormuz were adopted, it would set a dangerous precedent for international law.

In explaining the Russian position, Nebenzya said that some provisions of the draft resolution effectively amount to “issuing a blank check to the United States, allowing it to continue taking aggressive actions and further escalate” the armed conflict against Iran. He also said that if the draft resolution were adopted, it would make the prospects for restarting negotiations bleak.

Nebenzya said that protective measures for vessels of UN member states and other property do not need to rely on Security Council resolutions; Article 51 of the UN Charter has already granted countries the right to self-defense in any situation. Trying to impose rules in the Strait of Hormuz would only “play right into the hands of those trying to undermine security in the Middle East.”

Also, according to a report by TASS, Nebenzya said that Russia and China drafted an alternative draft resolution and submitted it to the Security Council for consideration. Nebenzya said that based on “understanding the concerns of Arab partners about freedom of navigation,” the draft resolution jointly drafted by Russia and China is “concise, fair, and balanced,” and in particular conforms to international law and the UN Charter’s principles on the peaceful settlement of disputes.

On social media, U.S. President Trump on the 5th threatened that Iran must open the Strait of Hormuz, otherwise it would “live in hell,” and he hinted that he would launch a massive bombing campaign against Iran’s power plants and bridges.

Editor:‍‍‍ Liu Yilong