Iran13 March, 20262 min read
India Co-Sponsors UNSC Resolution Condemning Iran's Attacks on Gulf States and Jordan
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
India co-sponsored a UN Security Council resolution condemning Iran's attacks on Gulf states and Jordan Security Council adopted the resolution with 13 votes in favour; China and Russia abstained
Resolution adopted; India co‑sponsors
The United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution condemning what it called the "egregious" attacks by Iran against Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Jordan, and India co‑sponsored the measure. The 15‑member Council approved the resolution with 13 votes in favour, none against, and abstentions by permanent members China and Russia. The resolution demanded the "immediate cessation of all attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran" and denounced threats to close the Strait of Hormuz while reiterating support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the affected Gulf states.
“India co-sponsored a resolution in the UN Security Council that condemned the ‘egregious’ attacks by Iran against Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Jordan and demanded immediate cessation of all attacks by Tehran while denouncing its threats of closure of the Strait of Hormuz.”
India's rationale
India and its foreign ministry framed the co‑sponsorship as reflecting core Indian positions, emphasising the safety and welfare of its large diaspora in the Gulf and the region's importance for energy security. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the resolution "reflects several of our positions," noting "we have a large diaspora in the GCC countries, and their well-being and welfare are of utmost importance." The Hindu added India imports a substantial share of its energy from the region, saying India’s purchases make up "about 50% of its crude oil and 90% of its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) imports."
Resolution content
The text of the Bahrain‑led resolution emphasised respect for navigational rights and freedoms in critical maritime routes and asserted the right of states to defend their vessels. It "reaffirmed that the exercise of navigational rights and freedoms by merchant and commercial vessels, in accordance with international law, must be respected, particularly around critical maritime routes," and "takes note of the right of Member States, in accordance with international law, to 'defend their vessels from attacks and provocations.'" The resolution also condemned that "residential areas were attacked, civilian objects have been targeted and that the attacks resulted in civilian casualties and damage of civilian buildings" and called on Iran to comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law.
“It reaffirmed that the exercise of navigational rights and freedoms by merchant and commercial vessels, in accordance with international law, must be respected, particularly around critical maritime routes, and takes note of the right of member states, in accordance with international law, to ‘defend their vessels from attacks and provocations, including those that undermine navigational rights and freedoms’.”
Votes and reactions
The resolution garnered broad international co‑sponsorship—135 states formally backed the text—and prompted contrasting reactions in the UN. While the Security Council vote passed 13‑0 with China and Russia abstaining, the U.S. representative hailed the resolution as a clear denunciation of Iranian targeting of civilians, and Iran’s UN envoy denounced the measure as "unjust and unlawful." The final text reiterated solidarity with the affected states and framed the attacks as a breach of international law and a threat to international peace and security.
Balance and criticism
Some outlets and commentators noted apparent imbalances in who India and the UNSC publicly condemned. The Hindu highlighted that India had not issued comparable condemnations of recent strikes by the U.S. and Israel, and the paper cited a list of other deadly incidents that it said had not been similarly addressed—while India’s foreign ministry emphasised its general statements regretting loss of life and the priority of civilian safety. The Indian government maintained it has "underlined the need for prioritising the safety of all civilians" and expressed regret for lives lost.
“However, India has not similarly condemned the attacks by the U.S. and Israel on Iran, in which an estimated 1,255 people have been killed, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his family and advisors; the sinking of Iranian ship IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean that had been hosted for exercises by India; or the bombing of a school in Mubin in which 150 schoolgirls are believed to have been killed.”