Latest news with #Article51
Express Tribune
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Dar launches broadside at India
Listen to article Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday said Pakistan was committed to the ceasefire with India, urging the international community to facilitate a resolution of the longstanding Kashmir dispute. In an address at the 32nd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Kuala Lumpur, Dar strongly criticised India for creating regional tensions, particularly the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. His speech highlighted unresolved disputes, cross-border hostilities, and India's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, warning that regional peace remains in jeopardy without international attention and mediation. Dar described South Asia as a region plagued by enduring security challenges, noting that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute lies "at the heart of regional instability". He reaffirmed Pakistan's call for a peaceful resolution in line with the United Nations Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people. Referring to an attack in Pahalgam on April 22, he said India had blamed Pakistan without any shred of evidence. He said Pakistan had proposed an impartial inquiry on April 26, but India "opted for aggression" instead, launching an unprovoked strike on May 7, resulting in civilian casualties and infrastructure damage. The deputy prime minister defended Pakistan's military response on May 7 and 10 as a calibrated and restrained exercise of its right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter, targeting only military assets. He said Pakistan's response aimed to uphold sovereignty and deter further aggression, rejecting what he called India's "so-called new normal" rooted in unilateralism and impunity. He further criticized India's unilateral move to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, calling it a violation of international law and a threat to millions dependent on the Indus River system. "The treaty contains no provision for unilateral action," he stressed, urging the international community to take notice of what he termed a dangerous precedent. Reiterating Pakistan's commitment to the ceasefire with India, he expressed appreciation for international partners who facilitated it and welcomed their offer to help resolve the Kashmir dispute. "Over one-fifth of humanity resides in South Asia. Another cycle of conflict would be catastrophic for the region," he warned. Beyond regional tensions, the deputy prime minister also addressed global concerns, including terrorism, rising Islamophobia, the Israel-Palestine crisis, Afghanistan, climate change, and maritime security. He said Pakistan had lost over 80,000 lives and suffered economic losses of over $150 billion in the fight against terrorism, adopting a comprehensive approach that includes counter-radicalization, education reforms, and intelligence coordination. However, he warned that terrorism's root causes such as poverty, injustice, occupation, and the denial of self-determination must also be addressed. Dar expressed concern over the instrumentalisation of counterterrorism rhetoric to stigmatise Muslim communities and denounced rising Islamophobic policies. "Such narratives erode fundamental rights and exacerbate radicalization." Turning to Afghanistan, he highlighted Pakistan's recent efforts to strengthen dialogue, including his April visit to Kabul and a trilateral meeting with China and Afghanistan in May. He urged the Afghan interim government to prevent the use of its territory for terrorism against Pakistan. On the Middle East, the minister welcomed the ceasefire between Iran and Israel and reiterated Pakistan's support for Iran's sovereignty and right to self-defence. He strongly condemned Israel's ongoing aggression in Palestinian territories, calling for immediate international action to end the occupation and establish a sovereign Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. Reaffirming Pakistan's diplomatic stance on broader Asia-Pacific matters, the foreign minister voiced strong support for peace in the South China Sea and emphasized the importance of resolving disputes through diplomacy. He reiterated Pakistan's backing of the One China Policy and recognized the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate authority over Taiwan. Calling climate change an existential threat, the minister noted Pakistan's vulnerability to disasters like floods and droughts. He urged developed nations to fulfill their commitments on climate finance and technology sharing, stating that "climate justice demands global solidarity. Meanwhile, Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan at a weekly briefing reacted sharply to remarks by Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, who claimed India had targeted 13 military bases of Pakistan and nine targets set out were successful. "The remarks of the Indian NSA are replete with distortions and misrepresentations. They not only reflect a deliberate attempt to mislead public, but also violate the norms of responsible statecraft. Boasting of military aggression against a sovereign nation is a grave breach of the United Nations Charter and established principles of international law," the spokesperson said. "Rather than resorting to fictitious narratives, India should accept the downing of six fighter jets and severe damages to other military targets," he added. "Besides, it is a matter of public knowledge that the so-called terrorist targets attacked by India resulted actually in the death of civilians, including women and children. Glorification of conflict benefits no one. The path of a lasting peace lies in dialogue, mutual respect and adherence to international law," according to the spokesperson.
The Hindu
28-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
What is the legality of U.S. strikes on Iran?
The story so far: On June 22, U.S. President Donald Trump launched military strikes on Iran, joining its ally Israel in efforts to derail Iran's nuclear programme, which both countries claim is approaching weapons production. Iran retaliated the following day with missile attacks on Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command. After nearly two weeks of escalating hostilities, Iran and Israel agreed to a ceasefire on June 24. What is a lawful exercise of self-defence? The UN Charter, under Article 2(4), prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, except in narrowly defined circumstances — a claim of self-defence under Article 51 or with the UN Security Council's (UNSC) authorisation. The restrictive interpretation, grounded in the text of Article 51, permits self-defence only in response to an armed attack that is already under way. A more permissive interpretation allows for self-defence in response to an armed attack that is imminent. This broader interpretation, often referred to as anticipatory self-defence, has been endorsed in several UN-affiliated reports. Notably, the 2004 report of the Secretary-General's High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change affirmed that 'a threatened State, according to long-established international law, can take military action as long as the threatened attack is imminent, no other means would deflect it, and the action is proportionate'. These criteria are derived from the famous Caroline case, which established that the use of force is lawful only when the need for self-defence is 'instant, overwhelming, leaving no choice of means, and no moment for deliberation'. Over time, many states have argued that the Caroline standard is too rigid to address contemporary security threats. This has led to attempts to reinterpret and expand the notion of imminence, giving rise to the controversial doctrine of pre-emptive self-defence. Under this doctrine, a state may use force not only in response to an attack that is imminent but also during what is perceived as the 'last window of opportunity' to neutralise a threat posed by an adversary with both the intent and capability to strike. The U.S. has been a leading proponent of this doctrine, invoking it to justify the 2003 invasion of Iraq. 'Pre-emptive self-defence lacks the requisite state practice and opinio juris to qualify as customary international law. States are generally reluctant to endorse its legality, as the absence of an imminent threat renders the doctrine highly susceptible to misuse,' Prabhash Ranjan, Professor at Jindal Global Law School, told The Hindu. Did Iran pose an 'imminent' threat? The U.S. has not submitted an Article 51 notification to the UNSC declaring its strikes on Iran as self-defence. However, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described them as a precision operation to neutralise 'threats to national interest' and an act of 'collective self-defence' of U.S. forces and its ally, Israel. Tehran has maintained that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes and remains under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency. However, on June 12, the UN nuclear watchdog passed a resolution accusing Iran of violating its non-proliferation obligations, while noting that inspectors have been unable to confirm whether the programme is 'exclusively peaceful'. In March, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard initially told Congress that while Iran had stockpiled materials, it was not actively building a nuclear weapon. However, she later warned that Iran could do so 'within weeks,' after President Trump claimed Iran could develop one 'within months.' Dr. Ranjan noted that the criteria for determining an 'imminent threat' remain highly contested, as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has never ruled on the legality of anticipatory self-defence or pre-emptive strikes. 'For the U.S. to credibly invoke pre-emptive self-defence, it must present clear evidence of both Iran's intent and capability to strike in the near future. This is a difficult threshold to meet, given that Iran does not yet possess a nuclear weapon,' he said. He added that ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations indicate that diplomatic means were still available. What about collective self-defence? Under Article 51 of the Charter, Israel can call on the assistance of its allies to exercise collective self-defence against an attack. 'Israel's strikes on Iran, framed as pre-emptive action against perceived nuclear threats, are legally suspect. This, in turn, casts doubt on the legitimacy of any claim to collective self-defence,' Dr. Ranjan said. Israel has also sought to justify its military offensive as part of an 'ongoing armed conflict,' citing a history of attacks by groups like Hamas and the Houthis, which it claims act as Iranian proxies. However, to legally sustain this argument, Israel must meet the 'effective control' test set by the ICJ in Nicaragua versus U.S. (1986). This is a high threshold to meet since it requires proof that Iran exercises 'overall control' over these groups beyond merely funding or arming them. What are the implications? Allowing states to invoke pre-emptive self-defence would effectively grant powerful nations the licence to unilaterally use force based on mere conjecture. This would further weaken the already fragile rules-based international order. It is, therefore, crucial to resist expanding legal definitions of what constitutes an imminent threat, particularly when punitive action by the UNSC against permanent members like the U.S. remains unlikely due to their veto power.
The Print
26-06-2025
- Politics
- The Print
‘Act of self-defence, nothing to do with Qatar': Iran defends US military base strike
Tehran: Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei has defended military strikes on the American military base 'Al-Udeid', calling it an exercise conducted in self-defence under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter in response to the US' strikes in Iran on June 22. Baqaei stated that the 'act of self-defence' has nothing to do with Qatar and emphasised the 'excellent and deeply rooted relationships' shared by the two nations. In a statement shared on X, Esmaeil Baqaei expressed Iran's commitment to good neighbourly policy with Qatar and other friendly nations. 'Iran's military strikes on the American military base 'Al-Udeid' were in exercise of our self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter in response to the United States' unprovoked aggression against Iran's territorial integrity and national sovereignty that took place on 22 June 2025. This act of self-defence had nothing to do with our friendly neighbour Qatar, as we enjoy excellent and deeply rooted relationships,' Baqaei posted on X. 'Iran remains fully committed to its good-neighbourliness policy concerning the State of Qatar and other neighbouring countries. We resolve not to let U.S./Israeli criminal aggressions and malign policies against Iran create division between us and the brotherly countries of the region,' he added.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Have Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire? What we know
US President Donald Trump on Monday announced that Israel and Iran have reached a ceasefire, hours after Iran launched a missile attack on the Al Udeid airbase in Qatar – the largest United States military base in the Middle East. 'The ceasefire is now in effect. Please do not violate it!' Trump posted on his Truth Social platform on Monday. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel has agreed to the truce proposal, and Iranian state TV reported that the ceasefire had begun. However, Israel has ordered strikes on Tehran after accusing Iran of violating the truce – an allegation rejected by Iran. Here is what happened in Qatar, what Trump has said, and the latest on the ground. Yes. On Monday evening, consecutive flares were seen and loud explosions were heard in Qatar's capital, Doha, alongside other parts of the country. In a statement, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said its attack was in response to the 'blatant military aggression' by the US on Iran's nuclear facilities. Tehran said it attacked the Al Udeid airbase because it 'serves as the command centre of the US Air Force and is the largest strategic asset of the American terrorist army in West Asia'. Qatar said it had successfully shot down 18 of 19 missiles deployed. No casualties were reported. Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani on Tuesday reiterated Qatar's condemnation of Iran's missile attack on the Al Udeid airbase, calling it an 'unacceptable act'. 'The attack on the state of Qatar is an unacceptable act, especially as Qatar has been making great diplomatic efforts in order to de-escalate the situation,' said Sheikh Mohammed, adding Doha was 'taken by surprise' by the move from what it considers a 'neighbourly' country. Earlier, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Iran's ambassador to protest against Monday night's attack. But Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson defended the attack, saying it was a legitimate response under Article 51 of the UN Charter. The attack was retaliation for the 'unprovoked aggression against Iran's territorial integrity and national sovereignty' by the US on Sunday when it hit three of Iran's nuclear sites, Esmaeil Baghaei wrote on X. Iran has stressed that Monday's attack was not directed at the 'brotherly' state of Qatar. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that a 'complete and total' ceasefire has been reached between Iran and Israel. In his post at 22:00 GMT, Trump wrote that the ceasefire would take effect 'in approximately 6 hours from now'. He additionally specified a timeline: The initial six-hour window, which ended at 04:00 GMT, was to allow Iran and Israel to complete their 'final missions'. Iran would start the ceasefire first at 04:00 GMT on Tuesday. Israel would follow 12 hours later at 16:00 GMT. Israel must stick to the ceasefire for 12 hours, after which the ceasefire will be considered to be in full effect. This timeline will mark the official end to what he termed the 'Twelve Day War' between Israel and Israeli prime minister's office released a statement saying that Netanyahu has accepted the ceasefire and will deliver a statement later on Tuesday. The statement added that Israel has achieved 'all objectives' of its operation against Iran. 'Israel has removed a dual immediate existential threat – both in the nuclear and ballistic missile fields,' the statement said. 'In light of the achievement of the operation's objectives, and in full coordination with President Trump, Israel has agreed to the president's proposal for a bilateral ceasefire,' it added. This came after Dan Illouz, a member of Netanyahu's Likud party, opposed the ceasefire, saying the only deal the government must sign is Iran's 'surrender agreement'. Tel Aviv-based political commentator Ori Goldberg told Al Jazeera that Netanyahu's claims that all objectives were secured before the ceasefire are 'ridiculous'. 'It is really unclear, to say the least, what Israel's goals were. Over the past week, we heard Israel talk about everything from the decapitation of the nuclear programme to regime change.' Goldberg said Netanyahu had no choice but to back the ceasefire due to the damage caused by Iranian attacks and pressure from the Trump administration. 'Netanyahu decided to gamble on Trump coming to his rescue. Trump did, and Netanyahu is therefore obligated to assist in Trump's goal, which was and still is ultimately securing the regional deal and not launching a regional war.'Iran's top security body said on Tuesday it had agreed to the truce. The Supreme National Security Council, however, added Tehran does not trust Israel and has its 'hands on the trigger', ready to 'deliver a decisive … response to any violating act'. Sheikh Mohammed, who is also Qatar's foreign minister, urged all parties to abide by the ceasefire brokered by the Trump administration. Sheikh Mohammed said Qatar, on the request of the US, reached out to Iran to help mediate the Israel-Iran ceasefire. Al Jazeera's Ali Hashem said that Qatar played a mediation role, helping to bring this [conflict] to an end. 'US President Trump spoke about this, saying that – despite the attack that took place on Al Udeid – Qatar played this role. It's, of course, another victory for Qatari diplomacy,' he said from Iranian missile struck a building in Israel's Beersheba on Tuesday morning, killing at least four people and injuring several others. The Times of Israel reported that Israel intercepted two Iranian ballistic missiles on Tuesday. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz instructed the Israeli military to 'respond forcefully to Iran's violation of the ceasefire with intense strikes against regime targets in the heart of Tehran'. Iran's military has denied the Israeli claim that it launched missiles at Israel over the past few hours in a short statement carried by state media. In a Truth Social post on Tuesday, Trump warned Israel against dropping bombs in Iran, saying: 'ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW!' 'ISRAEL is not going to attack Iran. All planes will turn around and head home, while doing a friendly 'Plane Wave' to Iran. Nobody will be hurt, the Ceasefire is in effect! Thank you for your attention to this matter!'Last month, Trump claimed he had helped broker a ceasefire after four days of tit-for-tat missile and drone attacks between South Asian neighbours India and Pakistan. However, violations of the ceasefire were reported hours after Trump's announcement on May 10. Both the nuclear-armed neighbours blamed each other for breaching the ceasefire agreement. While the situation in South Asia has been calm since, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Trump on June 18 that the ceasefire was achieved through talks between military officials on both sides, rather than US mediation, according to Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. The Trump administration took credit for mediating the ceasefire to end the war in Gaza. The ceasefire was announced on January 15 and took effect four days later. On March 18, Netanyahu unilaterally ended the ceasefire and resumed attacks on Gaza, killing thousands since then. Trump supported Netanyahu's decision. Since Israel launched the war on Gaza in October 2023, it has killed more than 56,000 Palestinians, and a total blockade since March 2 has resulted in deaths by starvation and malnutrition. After immense global pressure, Israel allowed limited UN-led aid deliveries to resume on May 19. Later, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli and US-backed body, was formed to distribute aid in the Palestinian enclave. But rights groups say the aid distribution centres have turned into 'human slaughterhouses'. On Monday, Israel killed at least 43 people who were seeking aid in Gaza. On the campaign trail, Trump had promised to end the war between Russia and Ukraine on his first day in office. This did not happen. After multiple talks conducted between US officials, separately with Russian and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia, the three sides have been unable to agree on a full ceasefire. In May, Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to halt attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure but stopped short of a broader US-backed ceasefire for 30 days. The Trump administration also got Moscow to sign a Black Sea deal in March to help halt fighting in the Black Sea. Russia and Ukraine traded blame for violating the terms of both agreements, which have now expired.
Newsweek
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Iran Delivers Strong Warning After Ceasefire
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Iran's Supreme National Security Council has said its army does not trust Israel and is ready to swiftly respond to any attack, according to Iranian state media, amid concerns that the U.S.-brokered ceasefire may not hold. Separately, major General Mohammad Pakpour, the new commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), warned the United States that any additional airstrikes would provoke a retaliation harsher than Iran's missile attack on Al-Udeid base in Qatar the day before. Newsweek has reached out to the Israeli Prime Minister's office, the U.S. State Department and Iran's Foreign Ministry for comment. Why It Matters The fresh warnings out of Tehran came after U.S. President Donald Trump had announced a ceasefire over social media and urged both sides not to violate it. Iran has not publicly rejected the ceasefire but tensions with the U.S. and Israel remain high following a conflict that has stretched over 12 days. Both Iran and Israel have claimed "victory" in the war. Iran has suffered damages to key nuclear and military infrastructure while its missiles have hit deep into Israeli territory. The conflict reached a new peak when the U.S. bombed three nuclear facilities on Sunday, which promoted the Iranian missile attack on Al-Udeid, the largest American military base in the Middle East. TOPSHOT - Missiles fired from Iran are pictured in the night sky over Jerusalem on June 14, 2025. TOPSHOT - Missiles fired from Iran are pictured in the night sky over Jerusalem on June 14, 2025. MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP/Getty Images What To Know The Supreme National Security Council, Iran's top security body, said the Iranian armed forces, "trusting no words from the enemy and with fingers on the trigger, stand ready to deliver a decisive and punitive response to any hostile action," according to a statement in Persian published by the semi-official Tasnim News Agency. The council claimed its attacks on the American base, and near-daily targeting of Israel, had forced the ceasefire. The U.S. and Qatar reported no damage or casualties from Iranian ballistic missiles, with military assets evacuated from the base days ahead. "I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured," Trump wrote following Iran's attack. Tehran's latest statement is thought to be a response to Trump's ceasefire. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the announcement but warned his country would "respond forcefully to any violation." What People Are Saying Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqaei on X: "Iran's military strikes on American military base 'Al-Udeid' was in exercise of our self-defense under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter in response to the United States' unprovoked aggression against Iran's territorial integrity and national sovereignty that took place on 22 June, resolve not to let U.S./Israeli criminal aggressions and malign policies against Iran create division between us and the brotherly countries of the region." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a public statement: "Israel has removed from itself an immediate existential double threat—both in the nuclear domain and in the field of ballistic missiles. Additionally, the [Israel Defense Forces] achieved full air superiority over Tehran's skies, struck a heavy blow to the military leadership, and destroyed dozens of central government targets in Iran." U.S. President Donald Trump on Truth Social: "We couldn't have made today's 'deal' without the talent and courage of our great B-2 pilots, and all of those associated with that operation. In a certain and very ironic way, that perfect 'hit,' late in the evening, brought everyone together and the deal was made!!!" What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether both sides will stick to the ceasefire as urged by Trump, paving the way for possible negotiations. Qatar is also discussing how to respond to what it described as a breach of its sovereignty by Iran.
