Ceasefire not peace: The world must condemn the unprovoked attack on Iran

Was it provoked? That was the first question on my mind when I first heard of Israel’s attack on Iran last week. It wasn’t—except for concocted assumptions that Iran is unfriendly simply because it seeks to protect itself and its people through ownership of nuclear power. The narrative that Iran must not be trusted, that Iran is aggressive or inherently dangerous, is an illusion built on prejudice and sustained by the geopolitical ambitions of global superpowers. It becomes inconsistent with global standards of engagement when the warnings are directed not at the aggressor, but at the victim—urging Iran not to retaliate after being attacked without provocation. The United Nations Charter, particularly Article 51, clearly permits any member state to exercise the right to self-defense if an armed attack occurs against it.

Even more troubling is the stance of the United States of America. A nation that pretends to broker peace, only to turn around and threaten Iran, a sovereign state, for defending itself. The same America then follows up by violating Iran’s territorial integrity—again, without provocation. Their justification? Iran must not defend itself from Israel’s endless bombardments. What clearer evidence is needed to show that this was never just about Israel—and certainly never about any tangible or immediate threat from Iran?

Let it be said clearly: the attack on Iran was yet another chapter in the long catalogue of unjustified military aggressions by America and its proxies. Iraq was destroyed based on lies about nuclear weapons. Libya, dismantled under false pretenses. Syria, destabilized by indirect interventions. And now Iran, under assault for daring to pursue autonomy and defense capabilities. America’s narrative has always been the same: any nation that dares to resist its will becomes a target. And yet, America remains untouched, unbothered by international sanctions or reprimand. Who bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki with nuclear weapons? Who turned flourishing nations to ruins in the name of “freedom” and “democracy”? Yet, Iran is the threat?

The hypocrisy is blinding. Why not attack North Korea or Russia if nuclear concern is the reason? Iran becomes the easy scapegoat because it dares to challenge Western hegemony and stands firmly on Islamic principles. This may well be the real reason behind the continuous attacks: not about nuclear power, but about religious and ideological dominance. Trump-era America, and those following its path, have shown a clear bias—what else could explain the silence of the global order when children and women are being slaughtered, and cities are bombarded without remorse?

The attack on Iran is a clear violation of several international treaties and principles. The UN Charter explicitly forbids the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state under Article 2(4). Their actions also violate Article 33, which mandates that states settle disputes by peaceful means—negotiation, mediation, or arbitration. Israel and the United States bypassed these legal prerequisites. Furthermore, the attack contravenes the Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols, which prohibit the targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure during armed conflict.

Additionally, these actions stand in violation of UN General Assembly Resolution 2625 (XXV), which reaffirms the principles of sovereign equality and the prohibition of the use of force. Likewise, UN Security Council Resolution 487 (1981), adopted after Israel bombed Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor, condemned Israel’s aggression and reaffirmed every nation’s right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes—precisely what Iran is accused of today. These precedents cannot be ignored.

Iran, a signatory of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), has the legal right to pursue peaceful nuclear technology. The targeting of its infrastructure based on speculation and geopolitical distrust violates the spirit of the treaty. The UNGA Resolution 3314 (XXIX) further defines aggression as “the use of armed force by a State against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of another State,” making Israel and America’s actions not just illegal but condemnable.

Beyond the physical assault, there is also a war of perception, a global propaganda that consistently paints Iran as the villain, while cloaking Israel and America as peace-seeking victims. This deceit has infiltrated major media houses, think tanks, and multilateral institutions. The world has been deliberately kept in the dark, denied access to the truth of what transpired and what continues to unfold. The deliberate erasure of Iran’s right to sovereignty, to defense, and to dignity is a tragic betrayal by the international community.

In recent days, however, the calculus has changed. Iran responded with power and precision. The world witnessed the vulnerability of the so-called invincibles. The strikes on Israeli military sites have been devastating, and for once, the consequences are being shared. This reality has forced the hands of all players involved into accepting a ceasefire—a fragile but necessary pause in a conflict that was spiraling toward uncontrollable escalation.

Let us be clear: the ceasefire is not peace. It is merely a breathing space for all involved, especially Israel, to retreat from the abyss it brought upon itself by attacking Iran without justification. It is a temporary pause, not a resolution. The deeper issues remain: unchecked aggression, the arrogance of American foreign policy, and the deafening silence of the United Nations. A ceasefire does not erase the deaths already recorded, nor does it right the wrongs of an unprovoked invasion of a sovereign airspace.

What is even more concerning is the lack of accountability. Why wasn’t Israel reproved by America and its allies? Why does the burden of restraint always fall on the countries being attacked, and never on the aggressors? Why does the international community seem to prioritize the strategic interests of America over the lives of innocent civilians? The hypocrisy must end. The world must ask: who will rise and speak for Iran? Who will challenge the monopoly of violence exercised by America and its cronies?

The longer the world remains silent, the more emboldened these powers become. China and Russia must weigh in beyond platitudes. Their role cannot continue to be symbolic when the integrity of sovereign nations is at stake. Other nations must re-evaluate their dependence on a UN system that is increasingly a puppet of American interests. If today it is Iran, tomorrow it may be another nation. The world cannot afford selective justice any longer. The ceasefire, while welcomed, must be a turning point—not a return to business as usual.

Current global trends indicate a dangerous tilt toward unilateralism and the erosion of multilateral institutions. From the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Deal (JCPOA) to its unilateral recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital—actions that have directly undermined the peace process—the world has watched America dismantle the foundations of diplomacy. Israel’s expansion of settlements in defiance of UNSC Resolutions 2334 (2016) and others, and its recent siege tactics in Gaza and Syria, showcase a growing pattern of impunity. This erosion of international norms sets a dangerous precedent. If might continues to define right, then no country is truly safe.

Let it be known that Iran’s retaliation was not madness—it was justice. It was a nation’s cry for dignity in the face of global betrayal. The last few days have shown that no one nation or individual enjoys the monopoly of madness and capacity to inflict injuries. By now, both America and Israel understand the meaning of everlasting consequences. You can have power to destroy, but would you be able to stand the collateral damages that will be inflicted on you? Iran has taught both oppressors a lesson they should not forget in a hurry.

This ceasefire is needed, but not only for the sake of Iran. It is needed to protect Israel from the unbelievable level of damages it is receiving every hour since it made the mistake of striking Iran last week. It is also needed to give the world a chance to reconsider the direction we are heading. It is needed to stop the cycle of destruction and retaliations that threaten to plunge the Middle East into a wider war that may eventually consume us all.

In closing, the international community must understand that peace is not merely the absence of bombs—it is the presence of justice. Without justice, this ceasefire will remain a pause before the next explosion. The world must rise, not in passive observation, but in active resistance to imperialism, hypocrisy, and tyranny. A ceasefire is not the end. Let it be the beginning of global awakening.

If not now, when? If not for Iran, then who is next? The world must stand for the truth, or it will forever stand on the sidelines of history’s darkest chapters. 

As the dust settles on yet another American-Israeli misadventure, we must call for a new international order—one that upholds the rule of law over the rule of power, one that returns to the founding ideals of the United Nations, and one that does not allow any nation, no matter how powerful, to become judge, jury, and executioner over others. The ceasefire must mark the beginning of accountability, justice, and the reawakening of the global conscience.