The recent military actions by Israel and the United States against Iran, along with their treatment of Palestine, highlight a dangerous disregard for international law, particularly when it comes to non-European countries. These attacks, supported by figures like UK Labour leader Keir Starmer, have pushed the boundaries of law and human decency, exposing a double standard when it comes to global justice.
On June 13, Israel launched a missile strike against what it claimed were Iranian nuclear facilities. Despite there being no provocation from Iran, the bombing resulted in the deaths of over 600 Iranian civilians and injuries to more than 1,200 others. Numerous civilian facilities were destroyed, including residential buildings, while Iranian media offices were also targeted. The attack, including the bombing of peaceful nuclear sites, was an explicit violation of international law, yet Israel’s actions received little to no condemnation from Western powers.
In retaliation, Iran struck Israeli targets, killing 24 civilians and injuring 200. But even though Israel failed to destroy most of Iran’s nuclear sites, it sought the assistance of the United States to escalate the conflict. On June 22, the US launched its own series of airstrikes, including six bunker-buster bombs dropped on Iran’s Fordo facility and dozens of submarine-launched missiles targeting the Natanz and Isfahan facilities. Despite repeated assurances from Iran that its nuclear program was for peaceful purposes, the strikes continued, pushing the conflict to new heights.
The U.S. Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, justified the attacks by claiming that the goal was to halt Iran’s nuclear program, which he argued posed a threat to international security. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has publicly stated there is no evidence Iran was pursuing a nuclear weapon. IAEA Director Rafael Grossi, speaking to Sky TV on June 18, reiterated that “on the basis of our own evaluations, we came to the conclusion that we could not affirm that there is any systematic effort in Iran to manufacture a nuclear weapon.” Yet, despite the lack of evidence, Israel and the US proceeded with their strikes.
Even more troubling is the illegal assassination of Iranian scientists, a tactic employed by Israel and condemned by international law. These scientists were civilians, as university professors and researchers are unless directly involved in military operations. The international community has repeatedly condemned these actions, yet they have been met with silence from the West.
When US President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was quick to offer his support. Starmer justified the US bombing by claiming Iran’s nuclear program was a “grave threat to international security” and that the US had acted to “alleviate that threat” and that “Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon” and called on Iran “to return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis.” Starmer failed to provide any evidence that Iran was developing a nuclear weapon and conveniently ignored the diplomatic talks that Iran had been actively engaged in with both the US and European countries.
On the contrary, Western intelligence does not support claims by Starmer, Trump, and Netanyahu.
Tulsi Gabbard, US Director of National Intelligence, testified in Congress in March that “Iran wasn’t building a nuclear weapon.”
“The IC continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader Khamenei has not authorized the nuclear weapons program that he suspended in 2003.” – U.S. Senate testimony from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, (March 25, 2025 Senate Intelligence Committee hearing).
However, Trump rejected her conclusion. “I don’t care what she said. I think they were very close to having one,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One.
Notably, Iran was already in discussions with the US in Oman when Israel’s bombing derailed the process. This was not an isolated incident: when Iran and European diplomats met with Iranian representatives, and the Iranian Foreign Minister was going to meet the Turkish President, US aggression again cut the talks short. Despite this, Starmer did not condemn the actions of Israel or the US for sabotaging the diplomatic path toward peace and kept on blaming Iran to go back to talks.
The silence of Western leaders like Starmer is deafening when it comes to the destruction of diplomatic talks and the continuation of attacks without provocation from Iran. It raises the question: why are these countries so quick to engage in violent action against non-European states, while turning a blind eye to violations of international law? The West, it seems, now operates by the law of the jungle, where the might of the powerful nations determines who lives and who dies.
This same disregard for international law and human rights is evident in Gaza, where Israel’s ongoing assault has killed over 50,000 Palestinians, including more than 17,000 children. The situation in Gaza has resulted in the near-total destruction of the territory, yet Israel continues to be armed and supported by Western nations like the US and UK.
The harsh reality is that the lives of non-Europeans, particularly those in Muslim-majority countries like Iran and Palestine, have become expendable in the eyes of Western powers. International law, when it comes to these countries, is nothing more than a hollow phrase, disregarded when it’s inconvenient. The West has chosen its side, and it is one that prioritizes power and control over justice, leaving the people of Iran, Palestine, and countless other nations to pay the price.
(Credit: Image generated by ChatGPT)
Photo: Iran’s UN Ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, holds up an image of children reportedly killed during Israel’s recent military actions against the Islamic Republic, at a United Nations Security Council session on June 20, 2025. (Screengrab: UN Security Council, June 20, 2025)
