UN Security Council resolution condemns Iran attacks on Gulf nations News
Hossein Velayati, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
UN Security Council resolution condemns Iran attacks on Gulf nations

The UN Security Council (UNSC) adopted a legally binding resolution on Thursday that condemned Iran’s attacks on the Gulf states and demanded that Iranian forces immediately halt hostilities.

Sponsored by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), an international organization composed of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait, the resolution passed with 13 out of 15 votes. While there were no votes against the resolution, Russia and China abstained. Both countries notably decided against using their veto powers, allowing the resolution to pass.

The resolution had the “largest number of countries ever to cosponsor a Security Council draft resolution,” with 135 countries signing on alongside the GCC.

On February 28, the US partnered with Israeli forces to launch attacks across Iran, and Iran launched subsequent retaliatory attacks across the Middle East. The adopted resolution serves as the UNSC’s response to the worsening situation in the region.

On Tuesday, the UN human rights chief spoke about harm the conflict has caused civilians globally, noting the dangers associated with civilian and environmental health. The African Union Commission similarly expressed concern over continued attacks on energy and transportation infrastructure, noting the effects the conflict has had on energy security and trade routes.

The UNSC has now formally declared that Iranian strikes on other Gulf countries violate international law. Experts pointed to violations of the UN Charter Article 2.4, requiring member states to refrain from the use of force against other states. The council also voiced its disapproval of Iranian strikes targeting key infrastructure, such as ports and energy facilities. As a formally adopted resolution, the demand for a halt to hostilities is now a binding element of international law.

Iranian UN Ambassador Amir-Saeid Iravani referred to the resolution as a “manifest injustice” against Iran as “the main victim of a clear act of aggression,” referring to the cataclysmic US-Israeli attacks that reignited hostilities. While US-Israeli actions have also been accused of breaching international and domestic laws, the UNSC this week failed to pass a resolution calling for an immediate halt to all military hostilities in the Middle East. The US voted against the resolution.

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