Iran Accuses U.S., Allies of Eroding Global Legal Order at Tehran Conference

Tehran / Hyderabad (Same Day): Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Sunday warned that the United States and its Western allies are undermining the foundations of international law and replacing them with what he described as a “force-based order.” He was delivering the inaugural address at a high-level international conference titled “International Law Under Assault, Aggression, and Self-Defence,” hosted by the Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) in Tehran.

Mr. Araghchi said the world was witnessing an “unprecedented and dangerous” deterioration of the post-World War II legal framework, driven largely by what he called revisionist powers. The West, he argued, had substituted universally accepted legal norms with a politicised “rules-based order,” which he said was tailored to advance their strategic interests.

According to the Minister, Washington had now moved beyond that system, embracing a coercive “force-based international order.” Rising global military expenditure, deepening geopolitical fragmentation, and mounting violations of sovereignty, he said, were indicators of this shift.

Mr. Araghchi accused the United States of pursuing “hegemony through brute force” under the banner of “peace through strength.” He said recent U.S. policies—including support for Israeli military operations and alleged attacks on Iranian territory—reflected a return to the “law of the jungle.”

He singled out the June 13 Israeli strike on Iranian soil, which Tehran says was carried out under U.S. guidance and targeted civilian areas as well as peaceful nuclear facilities. The attack, he said, amounted to a “flagrant violation” of the UN Charter and international non-proliferation norms.

Iran’s military response, he maintained, was carried out strictly under Article 51 of the UN Charter, observing the principles of necessity, proportionality, and distinction.

Allegations against Israel...

The Minister renewed Tehran’s longstanding charges against Israel, accusing it of “genocide, ethnic cleansing, and systematic violations of international humanitarian law” in the region. He said Israel had attacked seven countries over the past two years and continued to pursue “expansionist ambitions” under Western protection.

Despite his stark assessment, Mr. Araghchi said international law remained “alive” and could be strengthened if states collectively defended it. He urged a return to genuine multilateralism, equality among nations, and strict adherence to the UN Charter’s prohibition on the use of force.

The Minister reiterated Iran’s commitment to a law-based global order and advocated for a regional security architecture built on inclusivity, cooperation, and “sustainable trust,” stressing that Iran views the security of its neighbours as integral to its own.

The one-day conference brought together scholars, diplomats, and legal experts from Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe to discuss the growing pressures on the global legal system amid rising militarisation and geopolitical rivalry.