U.S. Pushes Bahrain-Backed U.N. Draft to Sanction Iran

The United States asked the U.N. Security Council to take up a Bahrain-backed draft resolution that would allow sanctions and could leave room for force if Iran threatens commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The request followed a clash in which U.S. forces destroyed six Iranian small boats and Iranian missiles struck an oil port in the United Arab Emirates. Security Council members are scheduled to begin talks on the draft on Tuesday.

The draft would place measures under Chapter VII of the U.N. Charter, which allows the council to impose sanctions or authorize military action when it finds a threat to international peace and security. Sponsors say the text does not explicitly authorize military action but keeps a range of responses available if attacks on shipping continue.

The United States has carried out strikes and urged allies to join temporary naval patrols in recent months. Project Freedom, a U.S.-led maritime effort launched this month, has escorted stranded tankers and other vessels through the Strait. U.S. officials say the Bahrain draft would provide a diplomatic framework for those operations.

Washington is organizing a Maritime Security Coalition (MFC) intended to operate independently while coordinating with other naval task forces. The MFC is separate from a Franco-British maritime mission that plans to secure safe passage through the Strait after the crisis eases and that envisions coordination with Iran. Some governments have told diplomats they will only commit naval assets if the Security Council issues a mandate.

Bahrain brought an earlier resolution that failed after Russia and China blocked it. The revised text under discussion does not directly authorize force but remains framed under Chapter VII. Diplomats say the Security Council debate will be watched by governments weighing participation in multinational patrols, and by shipping firms and insurers tracking risks to vessels transiting the Gulf.

At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the Iranian small-boat fleet as a threat, called U.S. strategy “laser focused” and said “the ceasefire is not over,” urging Tehran to act “prudent” and avoid actions that could restart wider hostilities.

The Strait of Hormuz is a major route for oil and other trade. Disruptions there can raise crude prices, increase shipping costs and affect financial markets. The outcome of Security Council discussions could influence whether more countries provide naval support and how commercial operators and insurers assess risk.