AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Following U.S. President Donald Trump’s explicit admission of his country’s direct role in the 12-day war against the Islamic Republic of Iran, numerous questions have arisen in the field of international law regarding the legality of this action. Many international law experts consider Trump’s statement as an official acknowledgment of involvement in an unlawful military operation against a sovereign state.
Dr. Ali Matar, Professor of Political Science and researcher in International Relations and International Law at the University of Lebanon, analyzed the legal and political dimensions of this issue in an interview with ABNA News Agency.
He stressed that Trump’s confession of U.S. participation in the war against Iran is a clear confirmation that the actions carried out by Israel and the United States constitute an act of aggression. “The initiation of this war itself represents a blatant act of aggression, and the U.S. military’s participation is a flagrant violation of the principles of the United Nations Charter,” he said, noting that no resolution had been issued by the UN Security Council to justify such intervention.
The editor-in-chief of al-Ahed News added that under the UN Charter, no country has the right to use force in international relations, as explicitly stated in Article 2, Paragraph 4. Paragraph 7 of the same article also prohibits interference in the internal affairs of other states. “Therefore, the actions of the U.S. and Israel not only violate Iran’s sovereignty but also constitute a clear breach of the fundamental principles of international law,” he underlined.
Matar further explained, “No state has the right to attack or participate in aggression against another country unless authorized by the Security Council or in the case of self-defense. In contrast, according to Article 51 of the UN Charter, the state under attack has the right to defend itself, either individually or collectively.”
Addressing the humanitarian aspect of the issue, the expert noted that the military operation against Iran, as openly admitted by Trump, involved U.S. warplanes bombing nuclear facilities, an action that could have led to a nuclear and humanitarian catastrophe, endangering the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians. “Hence, this act is not only aggressive but also a grave threat to the peace and security of Iran, the region, and the world,” he warned.
“Given these realities, from the perspective of all international legal standards, the actions of the U.S. and Israel against Iran are illegal and violate the principles of the UN Charter,” Matar emphasized.
About the possibility of pursuing the matter through international institutions, he explained that Iran could raise the issue before the UN Security Council and demand that the U.S. be condemned. “However, since the United States is a permanent member of the Council and holds veto power, adopting a resolution against it would be difficult,” he noted.
Nonetheless, Matar said, if sufficient evidence of war crimes is collected, Iran could refer the case to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to prosecute the commanders or officials responsible for the attacks.
He added that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) generally deals with disputes between states rather than war crimes. Still, if it can be proven that the attacks aimed at mass destruction of the Iranian people or caused a humanitarian catastrophe, a case could also be filed there.
Matar concluded by saying, “Unfortunately, the United States exercises extensive influence over the United Nations and international institutions. Therefore, achieving a decisive outcome for condemnation or even compensation from the U.S. and Israel is not easy. Nevertheless, pursuing this case legally and politically is essential to document the aggression and expose its unlawful nature before history and the global conscience.”
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