Statement on the Renewed Escalation, the Erosion of Diplomatic Trust and the Imperative of a Lawful Peace
The World Embassy Desk expresses its serious concern regarding the renewed escalation between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The renewed hostilities and the mutual allegations concerning non-compliance with the Memorandum of Understanding risk undoing the limited diplomatic progress achieved through mediation and negotiation. The World Embassy Desk calls upon the parties to address disputes concerning the interpretation and implementation of the Memorandum through diplomatic channels rather than through further military escalation.
The repeated failure to honour negotiated commitments has severely damaged confidence between the parties. This mistrust was further deepened by the United States’ withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, despite its status as an internationally negotiated framework. It has been compounded by the fact that Iran has, on two separate occasions, been subjected to major military attacks during an active diplomatic process. Israel attacked Iran in June 2025 shortly before a further round of negotiations was due to take place, and the United States and Israel again attacked Iran in February 2026 shortly after renewed negotiations. Both attacks resulted in major loss of life and extensive damage within Iran. These events have understandably reinforced doubts as to whether negotiations can provide security and whether future commitments will be honoured in good faith.
Against this background, each new breach, suspension or unilateral reversal of an agreement further weakens confidence in the reliability of future undertakings. Unless this pattern is addressed, it will become increasingly difficult to conclude, and even more difficult to implement, any credible and lasting peace agreement.
The World Embassy Desk considers it necessary to acknowledge that, on the publicly available record, no imminent armed attack by Iran against the United States or Israel had been established that could justify the initial resort to force under the right of self-defence. General concerns regarding Iran’s military capabilities, regional policies or possible future conduct cannot replace the requirement of an actual or imminent armed attack. In the absence of such a legal basis or authorisation by the United Nations Security Council, the World Embassy Desk considers the initial military attacks launched by the United States and Israel against Iran to have been incompatible with the prohibition on the use of force contained in the Charter of the United Nations.
Those attacks resulted in the deaths of Iranian civilians, public officials and senior political and military leaders and caused extensive destruction and suffering inside Iran. Civilians and civilian officials who do not directly participate in hostilities are protected under international humanitarian law. Their killing cannot be justified merely by their governmental position or by the political or strategic objectives pursued by an attacking State.
The World Embassy Desk is also particularly concerned by attacks that have affected civilian infrastructure in Iran and essential facilities upon which the population depends. Civilian objects may not be attacked unless, and only for such time as, they constitute military objectives. Even then, the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution remain fully applicable. The unlawful or unjustifiable destruction of civilian infrastructure is contrary to international law, imposes its most serious consequences upon ordinary Iranian citizens and constitutes an extremely hostile act toward the Iranian people.
Iran is the State whose territory was subjected to the initial military attacks and whose population, officials, infrastructure and institutions have suffered their direct consequences. Iran therefore has a legitimate and fundamental interest in the protection of its sovereignty, territorial integrity, population and political independence. Concerns regarding Iran’s policies, military capabilities or regional influence cannot retrospectively justify an unlawful resort to force or deprive Iran of the protections afforded equally to all sovereign States.
If the parties genuinely wish to bring the hostilities to an end, they must be prepared to confront these difficult but necessary truths. A durable settlement cannot be based upon selective interpretations of events, disregard for violations of international law or the assumption that negotiated commitments may be abandoned without lasting consequences. It must begin with an honest recognition of the sequence of events, the harm suffered and the justified interests of the affected parties.
Recognition of Iran’s position as the State initially attacked does not require the legitimate interests of other affected States to be disregarded. It does require those interests to be assessed within the framework of international law and without placing the attacking and attacked States on the same legal footing. The legitimate security interests of all parties may be addressed, but they cannot be pursued through unlawful force, attacks upon civilians or the destruction of another State’s infrastructure and institutions.
A continuation of hostilities will deepen mistrust, harden political positions and increase the human, economic and material damage that must ultimately be addressed in any lasting settlement. Each additional act of escalation makes peace more difficult and unnecessarily enlarges the scale of the reconstruction, restoration and reconciliation that will afterwards be required.
The World Embassy Desk therefore urges the parties to cease further escalation, preserve existing channels of communication and resume structured negotiations. Any future agreement must contain credible safeguards, clear implementation mechanisms and sufficient guarantees that commitments entered into will be honoured. Without reliability, accountability and respect for international law, no lasting settlement can be achieved.
The World Embassy Desk remains available, within its independent and non-political mandate, to support communication, mediation and all credible efforts directed toward de-escalation and a comprehensive, just and lasting peace.