U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks at a news conference in the White House in Washington on Tuesday. | REUTERS

WASHINGTON/PARIS – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday called a U.S.-proposed U.N. resolution demanding Iran stop attacks and laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz a test of the utility of the United Nations and urged China and Russia not to repeat vetoes.

U.N. Security Council members began closed talks on Tuesday on a text the U.S. drafted with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar, which, if it were to pass, could lead to ​sanctions against Iran, and potentially authorize force, if Tehran fails to halt attacks and threats to commercial shipping.

Fresh exchanges of fire on Monday underscored the ‌stakes as the ‌U.S.…