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The International Community at a Crossroads Over Iran: The reawakening of “illegal but legitimate” or the “law of self-preservation”?

"The tensions we have identified are particularly acute when a State faces an existential threat and, as in here, from an enemy long committed to radically unlawful behavior."

The United Kingdom’s Use of Force Against Iran: Walking a Legal Tightrope?

An assessment of the United Kingdom's ability to maintain a legal line between defensive versus offensive operations against Iran.

Top Questions the Trump Administration Needs to Answer on War with Iran

What Congress, journalists, and the public should ask the Trump administration about its war in Iran.
A plume of smoke rises above road traffic after an explosion on March 2, 2026 in Tehran, Iran. The United States and Israel continued their joint attacks that erupted on February 28. Iran retaliated by firing waves of missiles and drones at Israel, and targeting U.S. allies in the region. (Photo by Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)

Aggression by the United States and Israel, Misdirected Self-Defense by Iran, and Collective Self-Defense of Gulf States

Analysis of the legality of U.S.-Israel actions against Iran, Iran’s response, and third-party states’ legal options and obligations under the UN Charter.
Screenshot of Memorandum for Legal Advisor, National Security Council Re: Proposed War Department Operation to Support Law Enforcement Efforts in Venezuela, published December 23, 2025.

The Trump Administration’s Theory of Constitutional War Powers: “The President Could Decide”

The legal memo justifying its Venezuela operations provides insight into the administration's use-of-force decisions and the factual evidence undergirding them.
A plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion in Tehran on February 28, 2026. Israel's defence ministry announced February 28 it had launched a "preemptive strike" on Iran as sirens sounded in Jerusalem and people across the country received phone alerts about an "extremely serious" threat.

International Reactions to Military Strikes on Iran: A Tipping Point for the UN Charter?

Positions taken at the UN Security Council are a harbinger of whether the legal cornerstone of the international order that is designed to maintain world peace can hold.
Protesters hold Iranian pre-Islamic revolution of 1979 flags in front of the United Nations office in Geneva​, Switzerland on February 17, 2026.

What the Current Crises Facing Iran Mean for Human Rights and Rules on the Use of Force

The human rights crisis in Iran reveals the limits of a legal system designed to restrain force even when restraint carries profound human costs.
A blue banner reads "#UNGA80" in large letters, and below that, it says, "At 80, the UN is upgrading to meet the moment."

The Results of UN80: Reform or Decline?

UN80’s promise of renewal risks fading into bureaucracy. The United Nations must reform honestly, protect its mission, and adapt to survive amid resurgent power politics.
(L-R) A general view of the capital Nuuk, Greenland, on March 4, 2025. US President Donald Trump has strained relations with Denmark by repeatedly signalling that he wants control over Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory. (Photo by ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images); U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens as U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the media during a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago club on January 3, 2026, in Palm Beach, Florida. During the remarks, Trump confirmed that the U.S. military had carried out a large-scale strike in Caracas overnight, resulting in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images); A general view of the capital Nuuk, Greenland, on March 4, 2025. US President Donald Trump has strained relations with Denmark by repeatedly signalling that he wants control over Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory. (Photo by ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images)

Collection: U.S., Greenland, and NATO

Experts examine legal, political, and security dimensions of U.S. policy on Greenland, including U.S.-NATO relations, congressional oversight, and geopolitical implications.  
Denmark's Veterans hold Denmark and Greenland's flags.

Greenland Post-Davos: Enforcing 22 USC 1928f to Save NATO and Contain Trump’s Lawless Foreign Policy

In his threats against Greenland, President Trump has violated the U.N. Charter, the North Atlantic Treaty, and Section 1928f, prompting Congress to take swift action.
A person enjoys an afternoon walk near the sea on January 15, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland. (Photo by Alessandro RAMPAZZO / AFP via Getty Images)

How Congress Can Preserve NATO and Greenland: Using 22 USC 1928f to Protect the Peace

Trump’s threats to invade Greenland risk destroying NATO itself, but a little-known statute, 22 U.S.C. 1928f, could prevent him from doing just that.
NATO Leaders join King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands for a family photo as they participate in the 2025 NATO summit on June 24, 2025 in The Hague, Netherlands. (Photo by Haiyun Jiang-Pool/Getty Images)

The North Atlantic Treaty and a U.S. Attack on Denmark

Would NATO have to defend Denmark if the United States attempted to seize Greenland? Article 5 suggests other allies are obligated to come to Denmark's defense if requested.
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