Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have formally requested the United Nations Security Council authorise a multinational naval force to guarantee freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. The move signals that the Gulf states do not trust the bilateral US-Iran diplomatic process to deliver a durable resolution to the waterway's effective closure.

A draft resolution circulated among Security Council members on Sunday calls for the establishment of a maritime security corridor under UN Chapter VII authority, which would permit the use of force to protect commercial shipping. The text was co-sponsored by Bahrain and Kuwait, both of which have seen their own energy infrastructure targeted during the conflict.

Early indications suggest the resolution faces significant opposition. Russia and China have both expressed reservations about any mandate that could be interpreted as authorising military action in the Persian Gulf, while France has called for a diplomatic solution that does not prejudge the outcome of the ongoing Vance-led negotiations in Islamabad.

The Gulf states' decision to pursue a multilateral path through the UN rather than relying solely on the American security umbrella represents a notable shift in regional diplomacy. Riyadh in particular has sought to diversify its security partnerships in recent years, and the draft resolution explicitly envisions contributions from non-Western naval forces including those of India, South Korea, and Japan.

Energy markets reacted to the diplomatic manoeuvring with cautious optimism. Brent crude fell 1.2 per cent to $97.80 on the prospect of an internationally guaranteed shipping corridor, though traders noted that the gap between the resolution's ambition and its likely passage remains substantial.