<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/01/supporting-aggression-against-iran-the-worst-thing-australia-could-do-international-law-experts-say>
"International law experts have criticised Australia for “rolling over” and
backing what they say is an illegal attack by Israel and the US on Iran.
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, endorsed the fresh war by stating
that “Australia supports action to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon
and to prevent Iran from continuing to threaten international peace and
security”.
Wong and the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, also cited attacks in Melbourne
and Sydney in 2024, allegedly orchestrated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps, when they endorsed the bombing raids ordered by Benjamin Netanyahu
and Donald Trump.
Australia expelled Iran’s ambassador and designated the IRCG a state sponsor of
terrorism over the 2024 antisemitic attacks that included the firebombing of
the Adass Israel synagogue.
But University of Sydney professor and United Nations special rapporteur Ben
Saul said that justification was flawed.
The attack on Iran was “clearly a violation of the ban on the use of force
under the UN charter and international law, which is the linchpin of the
international order since 1945,” he told
Guardian Australia on Sunday.
“Domestic criminal acts like the IRGC’s interference here, of course, are not
armed attacks which would somehow justify military self-defence against Iran.
“You may not like Iran, you may not like what it does, but that doesn’t justify
an aggressive armed attack on Iran.”
Saul said countries like Australia and Canada should be pushing the US to
respect international law.
“It’s difficult to stop a superpower, but if middle powers and other coalitions
of states raise the political price on the United States by objecting
strenuously every time they break the law, it does make it a lot harder for the
US to get away with it in future cases.
“When countries like Australia roll over and support this kind of illegal
aggression, that’s the worst thing, in terms of contributing to the erosion of
international law.”"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
