By Huan Yuping, People’s Daily
The recent military strikes launched by the United States and Israel against Iran, conducted without consulting or obtaining authorization from the United Nations Security Council, represent a flagrant violation of international law and the basic norms governing international relations. These actions have pushed the Middle East perilously close to the brink of conflict.
The international community must urgently unite to promote peace, de-escalate tensions, and jointly uphold the principles of international law and global order.
The prohibition of the use of force is a cornerstone of security in the contemporary international system. This principle was established even before World War II by the Kellogg-Briand Pact and was subsequently enshrined in the UN Charter after the war. The Charter explicitly prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.
International law draws its vitality from universal application and its authority from consistent enforcement. When the United States and Israel violate it, they risk not only further destabilizing the Middle East, but also eroding the foundations of world peace.
The United States cited Iran’s alleged advancement of its nuclear program and development of long-range missiles as justification for its for military action.
However, following the strikes, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi, made it clear that no evidence has been found of a systematic nuclear weapons program in Iran. Facts suggest that the decision by the United States and Israel to attack Iran may be driven by political motivations.
As U.S. military supremacy is wielded to attack other nations at will, insightful American voices warn that U.S. hegemony is increasingly shedding its pretense and spiraling out of control.
The military strikes against Iran have triggered widespread opposition across the international community.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said that the Charter of the United Nations lays the foundation for maintaining international peace and security, and that international law and international humanitarian law must always be respected.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization issued a statement emphasizing that the use of force is unacceptable. It voiced support for resolving the ongoing conflict through dialogue, mutual respect, and consideration of the legitimate interests of all parties, in accordance with international law and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
The League of Arab States has called on the international community to act swiftly to de-escalate tensions and prevent the region from descending into gorwing instability and a cycle of violence.
A country’s approach to international law and the international order reflects its worldview, its vision of global governance, and its sense of international responsibility. Resorting to force cannot provide real solutions; instead, it creates new problems and leaves serious aftereffects. The international community must act together to uphold international law and the basic norms governing international relations.
Military actions against Iran must cease immediately. The tragic attack on an Iranian primary school has profoundly shocked the global conscience. As the humanitarian situation deteriorates, the security of the Strait of Hormuz — an important global energy trade corridor — has also been severely affected, and the risk of more forces being drawn into the conflict is rapidly increasing.
The spillover of war serves no one’s interests. The red line of protecting civilians in armed conflict must never be crossed. The urgent priority is to prevent further escalation and to stop the conflict from spreading across the entire Middle East. The international community should attach importance to the security of Gulf countries and support them in taking their future into their own hands.
Dialogue and negotiation should resume as soon as possible. A political and diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue is the only viable path forward and is in the common interests of the international community.
Recent diplomatic progress between Iran and the United States offered a rare opportunity for a peaceful dispute resolution. Regrettably, this process has been interrupted by military action.
Faced with this grave situation, all relevant parties should promptly return to dialogue and negotiation, support the IAEA in fulfilling its mandate objectively and impartially, and bring the Iranian nuclear issue back onto the right track of peaceful settlement.
Unilateral actions must be met with unified opposition. The international community should reject all acts that violates international law. No major country should be allowed to attack others at will on the grounds of military superiority. The world must not slide back into an era where might makes right.
Launching attacks against a sovereign state without UN Security Council authorization seriously undermines international law and the basic norms of international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
The international community must deliver a clear and unequivocal message: unilateral bullying and the threat or use of force in international relations must be resolutely rejected. No country should impose its will on others, and might should never prevail over justice.
At present, the conflict continues amid mounting risks. Faced with this grave situation, the international community should firmly stand for peace, fairness and justice, and work together to restore peace and stability in the Middle East at an early date.
As a responsible major country, China will continue to work with the international community to actively promote peace and de-escalation, and play a constructive role in easing tensions and safeguarding peace and stability in the Middle East and beyond.
