As we publish this article from our partners at the Center for Political and International Studies (IPIS), we extend our sincere wishes for peace and security to our colleagues at IPIS.
This war was not Iran’s choice; it was imposed on it. But this is a patriotic war. This is our world and we all are responsible for protecting it, writes Alireza Khodagholipour, Deputy of Research Affairs of the Center for Political and International Studies (IPIS).
International law under siege
On the morning of Saturday, February 28, 2026, coinciding with the tenth day of the holy month of Ramadan, the working week began with the sound of multiple explosions in Tehran and other cities in Iran, signifying the start of a new joint aggression by the Israeli regime and the United States of America. This was despite the fact that Iran had been negotiating with the United States with full readiness and good faith during the previous weeks. The Foreign Minister of Oman, who had played an active role as a mediator in these negotiations, even admitted that an agreement seemed quite within reach.
This was only the second time Iran had experienced foreign aggression in the midst of very serious and result-oriented negotiations in the past eight months. But this was in no way due to Iranian naivety. Iran entered the negotiations still recoiling from the bitter experience of disloyalty and the betrayal of the diplomatic process by the other side. However, once again, the serious concerns of a number of neighbours—including Turkey, Qatar, and Oman—about the consequences of a military conflict in the region, and their insistence and continued efforts, convinced Iran to return to the negotiating table with the United States to prove its case. It is no longer a secret to anyone that Iran entered the dialogue with utmost flexibility and clear initiatives, and honestly made every effort to prevent another war.
But, as predicted, the Israeli regime and the United States of America once again attacked, in spite of the negotiating table and all international rules and norms. Worse still, according to senior American officials, this aggression had been planned and premeditated for a long time, meaning that the entire negotiation process was a deception operation from the beginning, not only against Iran but also against the entire international community and the governments involved in the mediation process. This clearly shows that the American argument that the Iranian side was not serious in the negotiation process is nothing more than an absurd and false claim, designed to deceive Americans and world public opinion. In addition, the claim of the notorious US President that the aggression against Iran was a pre-emptive action against Iran’s intention to attack America has also been rejected by the Pentagon and its intelligence agencies.
This aggression began with an attack on the home of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which resulted in the martyrdom of him and a number of his family members, including children as young as one year old. It continued the same day with several missile attacks on an elementary school in the city of Minab in southern Iran, which resulted in the death of 165 children no older than 11, demonstrating yet again the extent of brutality, lawlessness and policy and practice of terrorism of the Israeli regime and the United States, in flagrant violation of the fundamental principles, rules and norms of international law, including those related to the inviolability of heads of states and civilian targets.
In addition, the entrenched pattern of deliberate, widespread, systematic and brutal attacks of the genocidal Israeli regime with the complicity of the US government, jointly and separately directed against civilian residential buildings and infrastructures including hospitals, schools, Red Crescent premises, media outlets, water and energy reservoirs and much more show the scope and magnitude of the heinous crimes by these two.
It goes without saying that this, by all means, is an illegal and unprovoked aggression. The current acts of aggression constitute gross violations of international law and the very purpose and principles of the UN charter: to protect sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to prohibit the threat or use of force. It is worth recalling that based on international law, every state is also under obligation not to allow its territory to be used for acts in gross violation of the rights of other states, such as conducting or otherwise in any manner supporting acts of aggression which violate the right to sovereignty and to political independence.
The renewed aggression of the Israeli regime and the United States is an egregious symbol of the erosion of global order, the incapability of international institutions, the weakening of international law and its substitution with naked force, mounting lawlessness and the return of total imperialism. The international community and even responsible international institutions and organizations censor the names of the aggressors; a huge mistake that will entail much greater costs for the world. The US-announced policy of “peace through strength” has been violently applied as hegemony through force. Israel, as the biggest beneficiary of this policy, is fully addicted to aggression and brutality with no cost. Based on this pattern, such aggressions can happen against any other country in the Middle East again soon, if the region does not stand up to this oppression.
Iran’s response
The Islamic Republic of Iran, as one of the traditional powers of West Asia, has never initiated any war. For decades, it has been playing the role of a responsible and accountable actor, with no hesitation to make sacrifices to protect the region’s interests and confront its threats. Numerous cases of Iran’s efforts and sacrifices to contribute to regional stability in combating terrorism and extremism, effectively confronting the global threat of ISIS (banned in Russia), confronting drug production and trafficking, and other such cases are fully documented and undeniable. Even Iran’s repeated restraint in recent years in the face of provocations and aggression by enemies, with the aim of maintaining stability and preventing military conflicts, has been a result of this responsible role and stance.
Unfortunately, the continuation of this responsible approach and constant restraint led some regional and trans-regional actors to misperceive it, and assume that this performance was due to weakness or an inability to respond. The perception that Iran’s response to any conspiracy, assassination, or aggression will be measured and calculated has been misleading for this group of actors.
This misperception persisted in a situation where the Islamic Republic of Iran had repeatedly warned that it would not tolerate the continuation and repetition of the Israeli regime’s threats. Additionally, in recent months, Iran had repeatedly warned, in response to the constant threats of war and the US military campaign in the region, that it would consider any aggression as an existential threat and would respond harshly and proportionately in accordance with such a threat.
In addition, Iran has always emphasised the indivisibility of security in the region. This has been the constant foundation of Iran’s policy in pursuing its neighbourhood policy, stressing the need to bolster regional cooperation in various economic, political, and security areas, and pursuing regional security arrangements with the idea of forming a solid, strong region. In a solid, strong region, all countries in the region enjoy security and development and contribute to each other’s security and development.
Facing such an existential threat, Iran is now responding decisively in exercise of its inherent right to self-defence as stipulated in article 51 of the UN Charter and in accordance with international law, including international humanitarian law. Iranians, historically, have not faltered in their resolve to defend their homeland against aggressors. At the same time, Iranians have been prudent enough to learn lessons from their previous experiences. Therefore, to avoid this vicious cycle of war–ceasefire–war and to prevent future aggression, this war is not only defensive, but also it pursues punishment of aggressors and their accomplice by imposing the optimum cost on them. This is considered very necessary to guarantee a credible deterrence for the future.
Based on earlier warnings, Iran does not observe any redline defending itself. It goes without saying that Iran highly respects the principle of good neighbourliness and fraternity with its brotherly neighbouring countries. The current defensive measures are solely aimed at legitimate targets belonging to the United States and the Israeli regime, located in certain countries in the region which have long been actively operating against Iran’s interests and security. It’s very unfortunate that based on concrete and undeniable evidence, the soil and space of some of our neighbours are still being freely used in the current aggression against Iran.
Iran has done a great job till now and has successfully balanced back, and now has an upper hand in the vast battlefield. In fact, Iran’s performance has exceeded the expectations of the aggressors and by inflicting painful damages on them, has caused growing differences inside and between the aggressors, increased the price of energy and increased pressure on the opposite front. This pressure is clearly evident in Trump’s confusion and frustration. Trump’s behavioural pattern, his fumbling attempts to justify the logic of the war, his frequent changes in war objectives, false claims about his complete command of the situation, and exaggerated displays in describing their capabilities and achievements clearly show that he has effectively lost control.
This war was not our choice. This war was imposed on us. This is a patriotic war and Iranians have always shown throughout history that they will not hesitate to sacrifice their lives in defence of their land, integrity, and honour.
This is our world and we all are responsible for protecting it. We, Iranians, expect all awakened consciences of the region and the world to stand on the right side of history. We must not leave the oppressors and aggressors to continue with impunity!
