France is preparing a draft resolution at the UN Security Council to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, as contacts continue with the United States, Iran and Arab countries on restoring transit through the vital waterway for global energy supplies and trade.
French draft resolution on freedom of navigation
A UN diplomat, who requested anonymity because of the confidential nature of the discussions, said the proposed text would reaffirm “the pressing need to respect freedom of navigation in the strait”. The diplomat said Hormuz was highly important for global shipments vital to food and energy security. The draft resolution would also recall the need to respect the law of the sea and support peaceful initiatives aimed at ensuring safe passage through the strait, the diplomat added.
US President Donald Trump and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, discussed the issue on the sidelines of the annual meeting of world leaders at the United Nations this week. It was also raised in discussions with Arab countries and Iran. Paris began drafting the resolution several days ago in coordination with Washington, with the work set to include the formation of an international mission to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The French approach focuses on separating the strait’s security from the broader tensions with Iran and highlighting the shared interest of all countries in protecting freedom of navigation and maintaining access to energy supplies. Iran’s obstruction of the strait is a key pressure point, as one-fifth of the oil and gas traded globally passed through it before the war.
Impact of disrupted shipping on Washington and Tehran
The effects of disrupted shipping were not confined to the Middle East but extended to create political challenges for Trump and the Republican Party ahead of the congressional midterm elections scheduled for November. Alongside the move at the Security Council, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country would honour all its commitments if the United States agreed to Iran’s latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume talks.
He said there was “an atmosphere of distrust” between Tehran and Washington. In an interview with the CBS News programme Face the Nation, Pezeshkian said implementation of the Iranian offer would begin as soon as it was accepted by the US side.
He said: “If this message reaches the president of the United States, or the negotiators and participants in the discussions, the process will naturally begin on the same day that they accept it.” This follows confirmation by US officials that Trump rejected an Iranian proposal for a 7-day ceasefire.
Negotiations and pathways to reopening the strait
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had presented the proposal in a speech on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. Officials said Trump had told his aides that he expected the bombing of Iran to resume after the November midterm elections. They added that the US president had expressed, in closed-door sessions, doubts that Iran would respond to his demands.
But the officials stressed that Trump’s current position could change as the conflict continues in the coming weeks and could also be affected by the outcome of the midterm elections. Negotiations between Washington and Tehran are continuing through mediators and, alongside arrangements related to the strait, include Iran’s nuclear programme.
According to US officials, US-led efforts to ensure the passage of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz helped reduce the immediate need to reach an agreement, as diplomatic efforts continue to reopen the waterway and resume talks between the two sides.
