New Delhi, April 3 -- The UN Security Council has postponed a vote scheduled for Friday on authorizing the use of "defensive" force to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz from Iranian attacks, according to the official program.

The 15-member body was set to vote Friday morning on a draft resolution brought by Bahrain, but by Thursday night the schedule shifted.

The reason given was that the United Nations observes Good Friday as a public holiday, according to diplomatic sources -- despite this fact being known when the vote was first announced.

No new date has been given for voting on the draft.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from MINT....