IAUNS Letter to the UN Secretary-General

His Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations

With deep regret and growing alarm, Iranian Association for UN Studies writes to express grave concerns over the US and Israel’s aggressions against our beloved country and nation. The series of systemic violations of peremptory norms of international law, unfolding with impunity before the eyes of the international community, threaten not only the integrity of the UN Charter but the very foundations of international peace, security, and international order.

Breach of the Peremptory Norm Prohibiting the Act of Aggression

The repeated and deliberate resort to armed forces and cross-border attacks constitutes a flagrant and undeniable breach of international law norm prohibiting the threat or use of force under Article 2(4) of the UN Charter. This norm stands as one of the cornerstones of international legal order.

Illegitimacy of Self-Styled Doctrines of "Preemptive" or "Preventive" Self-Defense

The actions in question cannot, by any stretch of legal interpretation, be justified under Article 51 of the Charter. Even the highly controversial doctrines of “anticipatory” or “preventive” self-defense, which lack recognition in customary international law and have been repeatedly rejected, fail to provide any legal justification for the above-mentioned acts of aggression.

Attacks on Nuclear Facilities and the Collapse of the Non-Proliferation Regime

Perhaps most dangerously, attacks on nuclear facilities, which pose catastrophic risks to public health, the environment, and regional stability, directly violate Article 56 of Additional Protocol I of the 1949 Geneva Conventions and raise profound concerns about the collapse of the global non-proliferation regime. These acts, notably committed by a permanent member of the UN Security Council, risk setting dangerous precedents with global consequences.

Attacks on Medical Facilities and Personnel

The bombardment of hospitals, medical teams, and volunteers of the Iranian Red Crescent Society protected under international law regardless of the conflict status, is a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions and constitutes a war crime. Such actions are morally reprehensible and legally indefensible.

Assassination of Scientists and Non-Combatants

The deliberate targeting and assassination of nuclear and missile scientists, who are deemed civilian professionals who do not take any direct participation in hostilities, is a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, including the principle of distinction enshrined in Article 51 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions.

Normalization of the Language and Practice of Political Violence

We are witnessing the alarming normalization of the rhetoric and practice of assassination in mainstream political and media discourse. Terms such as “targeted killing” or “preemptive elimination” have crept into everyday language, blurring the lines of legality. This shift is deeply dangerous and undermines decades of efforts to counter it.

Targeting Prisons and Endangering of Prisoners and Families

The intentional targeting of detention facilities, thereby placing the lives of inmates, staff, and visiting families at risk, is another alarming manifestation of disregard for international norms and humanitarian obligations.

Targeting infrastructures

Compounding this complicity are the attacks on civilian infrastructure, including airstrikes on airports, residential neighborhoods, and urban public systems. These actions constitute clear violations of international humanitarian law, most notably Article 52 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, which explicitly prohibits attacks on civilian objects and mandates the principle of distinction between military and civilian targets. The indiscriminate targeting of densely populated areas has resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians and the widespread destruction of homes and some of the essential infrastructure, amounting to collective punishment and raising serious concerns.

Passive and Active Complicity by Other States and International Institutions

Even more disturbing is the passive acquiescence, or in some cases, active encouragement offered by certain members of the UN. The continued failure of the UN Security Council and other international institutions to explicitly condemn these violations amounts to complicity, whether active or passive, in acts of state-sponsored violence and terrorism. This inaction stands in direct contradiction to UN Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001).

The Security Council’s Paralysis and the Erosion of Collective Security

The persistent failure of the UN Security Council to take meaningful action in response to these escalating violations has seriously undermined the credibility of the United Nations and its collective security apparatus. In light of this paralysis, we urge the immediate convening of an Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly under the “Uniting for Peace” resolution (A/RES/377), to address these grave and systematic breaches of the Charter by one of its own members.

Your Excellency,

The United Nations was created to prevent the very crimes we are witnessing today. To remain silent in the face of such clear violations is not neutrality but it is complicity. The international community must not allow the selective application of international law, nor tolerate a culture of impunity for those who wield power irresponsibly. The credibility of this organization, and the future of international legal order, hangs in the balance.

This issue is even more pressing as we approach the 80th anniversary of the United Nations: eighty years since the promise to save the world from the scourge of war, while we witness the crumbling of the very tenets designed to deter threats to international peace and security. We therefore respectfully call upon Your Excellency to take urgent and decisive action within the framework of the United Nations to uphold international law,, and restore the credibility of this institution. History will judge the choices made at this moment.

Please accept Excellency, the assurances of our highest consideration.

Iranian Association for UN Studies