UNITED NATIONS - Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, has launched a dramatic diplomatic offensive, publicly accusing Pakistan, China, and France of entering into a "secret Hormuz deal" with Iran that allows their commercial vessels safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz while Israeli ships remain blocked .
Breaking: Israel's envoy to UN says Pakistan, China and France have done a “Secret Hormuz Deal” with Iran and their ships are passing from Hormuz. pic.twitter.com/uWtqCQ7HP6
- South Asia Index (@SouthAsiaIndex) April 19, 2026
During a UN General Assembly session on the blockade of the strategic waterway-through which approximately 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows-Danon directly confronted the ambassadors of the three nations with an explosive question .
"How much money did you pay Iran to move ships safely through the Strait of Hormuz?" Danon said he asked the French ambassador, adding that the representatives of China and Pakistan received the same pointed query .
According to Danon, none of the three ambassadors provided a response .
"Apparently there are questions that neither are in a hurry to answer," the Israeli envoy wrote on social media following the tense exchange .
Context of the Accusation
The Israeli ambassador's allegations come amid heightened tensions in the Gulf region following Iran's effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, imposed in response to a US-Israeli bombing campaign that began on February 28 . Tehran has since selectively allowed passage to vessels from certain nations while blocking those from countries it considers hostile.
In March, Iran explicitly stated that vessels from India, China, Russia, Iraq, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka would be permitted to transit the crucial waterway . Beijing, as the largest buyer of Iranian oil, relies heavily on the strait for its energy supplies .
Earlier this month, the Financial Times reported, citing tracking data, that a container ship owned by a French shipping company had successfully sailed through the strait alongside several other vessels .
Diplomatic Fallout
The public confrontation at the UN reflects growing Israeli frustration over what it perceives as selective enforcement of the strait's blockade. Iran has framed its restrictions as a legitimate response to aggression, while the United States has maintained its own blockade on Iranian ports and shipping pending a peace agreement .
France has voted in favor of UN resolutions condemning Iran's blockade, while China has either vetoed or voted against critical wording in such measures, and Pakistan has abstained . These differing positions have further complicated diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis.
Failed Pakistan-Mediated Talks
The Hormuz confrontation comes just days after US-Iran talks mediated by Pakistan collapsed last weekend, with the United States vowing to maintain its blockade until a peace deal is reached . Those negotiations-which followed Iran's Supreme Leader granting permission for negotiators to travel to Islamabad-had raised hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough before ultimately failing.
What Comes Next
Neither the Chinese, French, nor Pakistani missions to the UN have issued formal responses to Danon's accusations. However, diplomatic observers note that Iran has consistently maintained that passage through the strait is determined by bilateral relationships and compliance with Iranian safety protocols, not by secret payments.
As global energy markets remain volatile and military tensions persist in the Gulf, the Israeli allegations are likely to further strain already fragile diplomatic channels-and raise new questions about the future of international navigation through one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints.
