The UN Security Council is negotiating a draft resolution that would let states use force to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, according to AFP, which cites diplomatic sources.

AFP says the text is being put forward by Bahrain. It would authorise member states to take “all necessary means” to guarantee freedom of navigation through the waterway.

In the draft seen by AFP, the council would also tell Iran to stop attacks on merchant shipping at once. The same text demands an end to any effort to hinder lawful passage in and around the Strait.

According to AFP, the proposal goes further than a political warning. It would permit action, including in the territorial waters of coastal states in or bordering the Strait, to keep the route open and to counter attempts to block or disrupt international navigation.

The draft also raises the prospect of targeted sanctions. AFP reports that these would be aimed at anyone found to be undermining navigational rights and freedoms in the Strait.

The stakes are high. AFP notes that roughly one fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas normally moves through the Strait of Hormuz.

Whether the measure can get through the council is not yet clear. Any of the five permanent members can veto it.

AFP says Bahrain is acting on behalf of the Gulf states. It was also behind the Security Council resolution passed in mid-March that called for an immediate halt to Iranian attacks on Gulf states and Jordan.