US envoy to UN calls for coalition to secure Strait of Hormuz, accuses Iran of 'hostage-taking'

US ambassador to the UN on Monday urged the international community to form a coalition to restore safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, accusing Iran of unlawfully disrupting one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes.

Speaking at a high-level session of the UN Security Council on maritime security, Waltz said global waterways cannot be controlled by any single nation.

“The world’s critical waterways are not bargaining chips that belong to any one country,” he said.

Waltz accused Tehran of using the Strait of Hormuz as leverage in geopolitical disputes, describing the situation as a “hostage-taking gambit” with global consequences.

“It is absolutely clear … this strait is not Iran’s to wield like its own moat and drawbridge,” he said. “It is not Iran’s hostage. It is not Iran’s bargaining chip. It is not Iran’s toll road.”

He called on the Security Council to hold Iran accountable for what he described as ongoing violations of international law and the UN Charter.

Waltz noted the reported use of naval mines in the waterway, which he described as indiscriminate and dangerous to civilian shipping.

"I want to particularly spend a moment on the sea mining, an indiscriminate planting of mines in international waterways that makes Iran international criminal. Pirates of the straits," he said.

Waltz added that US forces are already working to clear mines in the area to ensure safe passage, but emphasized that broader international support is needed.

"Now is the time for a coalition of like-minded partners to step up and step in with real capabilities and help," he said.

He stressed that disruptions in the strait are affecting not only shipping and energy markets but also humanitarian operations, noting that more than 80 aid organizations rely on the route to deliver life-saving assistance.

The Strait of Hormuz – through which roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows – has faced major disruptions since early March after the US and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on Feb. 28. The war is currently on a halt and efforts to end it permanently are underway.