Russia and China vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, that aimed to address the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane. The resolution, initially proposed by Bahrain and supported by the United States, was significantly weakened to remove explicit authorization for Gulf states to use force. Despite the dilution, the measure failed with 11 votes in favor, two against (Russia and China), and two abstentions. Bahrain's Foreign Minister expressed regret, stating the outcome sends the wrong signal regarding threats to international waterways. Iran's UN ambassador argued the text was designed to punish Iran for defending its sovereignty. The veto occurred just hours before a deadline set by US President Donald Trump for Iran to open the strait, which normally carries one-fifth of the world's oil.