Why is the US seeking UN help to open Hormuz after undermining it?

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has urged the United Nations to pressure Iran “to stop blowing up ships, remove the mines and allow humanitarian relief” in the Strait of Hormuz, he told reporters on Tuesday. UN Security Council members began closed talks on Tuesday on a resolution the United States has drafted with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar, which, if passed, could lead to sanctions against Iran, and potentially authorise force if Tehran fails to halt attacks and threats to commercial shipping in the strait. The closure of the strait, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas supplies are shipped during peacetime, has caused the price of oil to rocket and prompted fears of a global economic crisis. However, the Trump administration has taken a hostile approach to the UN since Donald Trump’s inauguration as president in January 2025, and has appeared to prefer to forge its own path on the international stage. So why has the US turned to the UN for support now, and what is the significance of the latest developments? What has the Trump administration said about the UN? On Tuesday, Rubio said the US-proposed UN resolution demanding that Iran cease attacks in the Strait of Hormuz would be a test of the “utility” of the United Nations, and urged China and Russia not to repeat vetoes. …