China and Russia Express Discontent Over UN Resolution Condemning Iran
On Thursday, both China and Russia showed their dissatisfaction with the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) after it condemned Iran’s attacks on its neighboring countries.
The Security Council adopted a draft resolution put forward by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which criticized Iran for its recent actions against Gulf states and Jordan. The support for the resolution was quite overwhelming, with 135 co-sponsors voting in favor and no opposition to its adoption.
While China and Russia abstained from the vote, they chose not to veto the resolution. This decision might have been influenced by the significant backing it received not only from the Security Council but also from other member nations.
Mohamed Abu Shahab, the UAE’s Permanent Representative to the UN, described the resolution as an important indicator of global disapproval regarding Iran’s violations of international law and national sovereignty. He also asserted the UAE’s right to take measures to protect itself and its critical infrastructure.
The Iranian Ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeed Iravani, criticized the resolution during the council meeting. He expressed disappointment, claiming it detracted from the Council’s credibility and marked a significant setback for the international community. Iravani labeled the resolution a misuse of the Security Council’s authority since it did not condemn the United States or Israel for their actions against Iran, including targeting its leadership.
He stated that this resolution was unjust and portrayed Iran as the main victim of aggression, while ignoring the real underlying issues fueling the current crisis. Furthermore, he accused the U.S. and Israel of orchestrating the resolution despite it being initiated by Bahrain, which itself has been subjected to attacks from Iran.
China and Russia, seen as Iran’s key allies, attempted to thwart the resolution through methods other than a veto and voiced their complaints when those efforts fell short. Russia had proposed its own draft that called on all parties to cease military activities but did not directly condemn Iran. Only a few countries indicated they would support this Russian proposal.
Russia’s ambassador to the UN, Vasily Nebenzia, remarked that the resolution was extremely one-sided. He expressed concern over the conditions in the Middle East and called the attacks on civilian infrastructure in Gulf nations unacceptable.
Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, noted that both Russia and China abstained because they disagreed with the fundamental premise of the resolution, arguing it overlooked the underlying causes of the crisis. She also criticized the Bahraini government for ignoring suggestions from her country and China aimed at softening the resolution’s stance against Iran.
Hu Kong, China’s permanent representative to the UN, added that the Iranian government expressed disappointment at the resolution’s content, which condemned Iran rather than urging all involved parties to cease military actions immediately.
