U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz doubled down on Sunday, urging the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution formally condemning Iran's ongoing interference with commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The push comes as the waterway remains effectively choked by Iranian mines and tolls, sending energy prices soaring worldwide.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio had announced earlier in the week that the Trump administration, working with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar, drafted a resolution aimed at "defending freedom of navigation" through the strategic chokepoint. Iran has restricted transit since late February, when the U.S. and Israel launched military operations against the Islamic Republic.
"No country can do what Iran is doing in international waterways," Waltz told ABC's Martha Raddatz on "This Week." He argued that Tehran's actions amount to holding the global economy hostage, drawing a sharp comparison: "Can you imagine if a country did that in the Strait of Gibraltar or the Strait of Malacca?"
For months, Iran's navy has threatened vessels from non-aligned nations, scattered sea mines across the strait, and imposed tolls on ships passing through. The result has been a significant slowdown in traffic between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, driving U.S. gas prices above $4.50 per gallon as of Sunday, according to AAA.
The U.S. Navy responded by blockading Iranian ports and, for a brief period, escorting commercial ships through the strait. President Trump abandoned that escort mission after just one day, following renewed clashes between American and Iranian forces and pushback from key regional allies, particularly Saudi Arabia. The episode came as the administration explored a broader diplomatic framework, with reports suggesting a one-page deal that would include halting enrichment and freeing the strait in exchange for sanctions relief.
Rubio outlined the draft resolution's core demands: Iran must "cease attacks, mining, and tolling" in the strait, disclose the number and location of all sea mines it has laid, cooperate with removal efforts, and support the establishment of a humanitarian corridor. The Security Council—comprising five permanent members (the U.S., China, France, Russia, and the U.K.) plus ten rotating members—would need to approve the measure.
The diplomatic push comes amid a fragile ceasefire with Iran, which President Trump insists is holding despite recent clashes. Meanwhile, Iran's officials have dismissed reported peace deals as a U.S. "wish list," and French President Emmanuel Macron has separately demanded the immediate reopening of the strait after talks with Tehran.
Waltz's latest remarks signal that the administration sees the UN route as a critical lever to isolate Iran diplomatically and pressure it to restore free passage in one of the world's most vital energy arteries.
