Press Release by the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation regarding the UNSC Discussions on Iran
In light of the heightened media attention to the UN Security Council’s discussions on the current crisis around Iran, and given the “leaks” regarding Russia’s position on the draft resolutions that are currently on the table of the Security Council, we wish to provide the following clarification.
From the very outset of the current unprecedented escalation in the Middle East – which is a direct consequence of the unprovoked aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran – our country has consistently advocated for an unconditional cessation of violence and a political-diplomatic settlement with subsequent sustainable agreements between Washington and Tehran. We support the relevant initiatives of our Pakistani friends and hope that their mediation efforts will yield the sought-after result. It is important to shield the diplomatic track from any provocations, including hawkish rhetoric and acts of force, which could derail the already fragile negotiation process, especially since President Trump is speaking about ending the conflict.
We urge our UNSC colleagues to refrain from artificially stirring up tensions within the Council, inter alia by pushing through one-sided and confrontational draft resolutions, which – if adopted – may trigger a new wave of escalation in the Middle East with highly unpredictable consequences. It is precisely for this reason that on April 7, Russia, along with China, blocked the adoption of a draft resolution on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. In parallel, we put forward a joint alternative draft containing clear calls on the parties to end the war, refrain from the use of force, and resolve their differences at the negotiating table. A number of provisions of the document are devoted to the need to ensure freedom of navigation, which fully applies to the Strait of Hormuz as well. Our text remains on the table. At the same time, we condemn attacks on civilian infrastructure in the region and in the GCC countries.
Another document that is currently under consideration by the Security Council is the US-Bahraini draft resolution on the Strait of Hormuz, which was submitted earlier this week. Unfortunately, despite the concerns that have been repeatedly voiced, the sponsors of the draft have once again decided to frame the document in line with the “two-war” construct, which Russia categorically rejects. Nor does our country support dangerous attempts to imbue the document with unbalanced language and one-sided demands vis-à-vis Tehran while completely ignoring the root cause of the crisis, which is the US-Israeli military escapade against Iran. Our position, including our key concerns regarding the text, has been communicated in detail to all Security Council members, including during the Council’s consultations on the situation in the Middle East on May 6.
The main point here is that freedom of navigation in the Persian Gulf will only be restored when the conflict ends and hostilities cease.
