UN Charter not recognise notion of necessary war: Iran on German President calling West Asia conflict "unnecessary war"
Tehran, May 22
Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei on Friday strongly responded to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier's characterisation of the ongoing West Asia conflict as an "unnecessary war", asserting that the United Nations Charter does not recognise any concept of a "necessary war".
In a post on X, Baqaei said the current regional crisis stems directly from the United States' "unlawful and capricious withdrawal" in May 2018 from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which imposes strict, verifiable restrictions on Iran's nuclear programme in return for relief from economic sanctions, arguing that the escalation could have been avoided.
Baqaei added that the UN Charter does not permit states to justify the use of force against sovereign nations based on "arbitrary and whimsical decisions of aggressors".
"It is true that the current crisis confronting our region and the world stems directly from the United States' unlawful and capricious withdrawal from the JCPOA in May 2018; It is also true that this imposed war could and should have been avoided. However, the UN Charter does not recognise any notion of a "necessary war" that would grant States the right to use force against another sovereign nation based on the arbitrary & whimsical decisions of aggressors," he stated in his post.
Baqaei further rejected attempts to describe the situation as an "unnecessary war," stating that such framing undermines the gravity of the situation.
"The American-Israeli attack on Iran cannot be downplayed or reframed as merely an 'unnecessary war'," his post added.
Calling it a "flagrant violation" of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, Baqaei described the situation as "a blatant act of aggression against a sovereign state" and urged countries that "value the rule of law" to condemn the attack and demand accountability.
"It was a flagrant violation of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter -- a blatant act of aggression against a sovereign State. Any nation that values the rule of law and the UN Charter must unequivocally condemn this act of aggression and call for accountability," the post stated.
The remarks came after the German President referred to the West Asia conflict involving Iran and Us-Israeli coalition forces as an "unnecessary war" in a news article which was shared by Baqaei along with the post.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Let's be real here. The US left the JCPOA and then everything went downhill. Iran has every right to defend itself. The UN Charter is clear—you can't just attack a country and call it a day. Germany should look in the mirror before making such statements.
As an Indian watching this, it's sad to see how quickly the West can switch from "diplomacy at all costs" to "bombs away" when it's not their land. Iran makes a good point here—what gives any country the right to decide what is necessary? The UN needs to grow a spine.
The German president's comment seems detached from reality. This isn't just an "unnecessary war"—it's an aggression that violates the UN Charter. Iran is right to push back. The JCPOA was working; the US killed it. Now the blame game is on.
It's easy for Germany to call this "unnecessary" from far away, but for nations like Iran and India, we've seen how foreign interference can spiral into conflict. I hope Germany and other EU nations push for accountability instead of just making statements.
Respectfully, Iran has a point. The US withdrawal from JCPOA was disastrous, and now they are paying the price. But calling an attack "unnecessary" is an understatement—it's illegal. UN should act, but it's toothless. Game of thrones continues. 🤷♂️
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.