UN Warns of Escalating Tensions in Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab; US Accuses Iran of Threatening Global Security
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, a senior United Nations official has cautioned about the intensifying hostilities in crucial maritime passages. Speaking at a UN Security Council session on the situation in the Middle East, the Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific, Mr. Mohammed Khalid Khiari, highlighted the daily reports of maritime incidents. He emphasized that the continued tensions pose serious risks to regional stability and the global economy.
Khiari noted that numerous commercial vessels and their crews have been stranded in the Persian Gulf for months, with imposed shipping restrictions exacerbating uncertainties. He pointed out that the volume of goods transported by sea remains below pre-conflict levels between Iran and the United States, and cautioned against mistaking the partial return of energy exports from the Persian Gulf for a return to normalcy. The UN official disclosed that October recorded the highest monthly number of incidents against commercial ships since February 2026.
The UN representative further stated that the International Maritime Organization has registered 134 confirmed incidents and the deaths of 25 seafarers in and around the Strait of Hormuz, describing these events as ‘unacceptable’.
In contrast, Jennifer Luxita, the Alternate Representative of the United States for Special Political Affairs to the United Nations Security Council, accused Tehran of attacking neighboring countries, targeting commercial vessels, and arming proxy groups, without referencing her country’s actions against Iran. She called for accountability for Iran from the Security Council members. Luxita alleged that Iran’s illicit missiles, drones, and mines in the Strait of Hormuz threaten global food and energy security, and that Iran’s attacks in the Bab al-Mandab strait endanger international security.
Citing Security Council Resolution 2817, which she claimed was adopted with the support of 136 countries, Luxita urged Iran to cease its attacks on shipping and neighboring nations. She also accused Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement of attacking airports and energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia with Iranian support, labeling the group’s actions as ‘terrorist acts’ that challenge Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 2216. The US representative asserted that Iran disregards the Security Council and the prevailing international consensus, and that such actions should not be tolerated.
Jamal Faris Al-Ruwai’i, the Ambassador of Bahrain to the United Nations, speaking on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), condemned the missile and drone attacks attributed to Iran against member states of the Council. He stated that civilian infrastructure, international trade, and regional security remain under threat, claiming that approximately 7,000 attacks have targeted GCC member states and Jordan.
Al-Ruwai’i also announced that 1,600 ships have faced navigational issues in the Strait of Hormuz, with over 23,000 sailors stranded in the area. The Bahraini Ambassador called for the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2817 and demanded guarantees to prevent further attacks. He also condemned the attacks by Yemen’s Ansar Allah against Saudi Arabia and the threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab. Welcoming the mediation efforts by Oman, Qatar, and Pakistan, he emphasized the GCC’s commitment to diplomacy and de-escalation.
