Israel "Attacks" These 3 Countries, Accused of Supporting Iran and Playing Both Sides
Tensions at the United Nations headquarters have intensified following Israel’s open accusations that several major countries are “playing both sides” in the Strait of Hormuz crisis.
Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, sharply criticised the representatives of France, China, and Pakistan. He accused the three countries of effectively supporting Iran through alleged deals to secure shipping routes for their vessels amid the blockade.
The strong statement came after media reports indicated that commercial ships from the three nations were still able to pass through the Strait of Hormuz during the restrictions, in some cases with authorisation from Iran, despite Tehran’s broad limitations on shipping.
“I asked the French ambassador: How much money did you pay Iran to allow your ships to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz?” Danon said in a post on platform X, shortly after speaking at the UN General Assembly session on the blockade, quoted on Monday (20/4/2026).
“Surprisingly, he had no answer,” he continued. “The Chinese and Pakistani ambassadors also had no answers.”
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital route handling about 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flows. Navigation in the area has been disrupted since Iran effectively blockaded the route in response to a bombing campaign by the United States and Israel that began on 28 February.
On Friday, Iran briefly reopened the strait to all commercial ships, citing it as part of arrangements for a ceasefire linked to the Israel-Lebanon agreement. However, the decision lasted only briefly as Tehran closed it again the next day.
This step was taken amid statements from US President Donald Trump affirming that the US blockade on Iranian ports and shipping would remain in place until a peace agreement is reached. Washington imposed those restrictions after bilateral talks in Pakistan failed to yield results over the previous weekend.
Earlier, in March, Iran stated that ships from India, China, Russia, Iraq, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka were permitted to pass through the strategic route. China is known as Iran’s largest oil buyer, with much of its supply passing through that narrow point.
At the same time, Malaysian authorities expressed thanks to Tehran for allowing their country’s ships to pass.
In April, a Financial Times report citing ship tracking data mentioned that a container ship owned by a French shipping company successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz along with several other vessels.
At the UN forum, the positions of those countries also appeared divided. France previously voted in favour of a resolution condemning the Iranian blockade, while China chose to veto or reject language deemed too harsh. Pakistan, on the other hand, chose to abstain.