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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."
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio addresses the press before briefing House and Senate leaders on US military action in Iran, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on March 2, 2026. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)

Double Preemption, Imminence, and the U.S. Attack Against Iran

Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s argument that Operation Epic Fury was an act of preemptive self-defense is not credible and does not satisfy the necessary precondition.
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.
Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) sails alongside Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121) and Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship

Expert Q&A: Are U.S. Threats or Use of Force Against Iran Lawful?

Experts examine the international law issued raised by the U.S. threats and potential strikes against Iran.
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.
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.

Congress, the President, and the Use of Military Force in Venezuela

Did the president have the authority under U.S. law to undertake Operation Absolute Resolve without congressional authorization? Leading experts say he did not.

Maduro Capture Operation and the President’s Duty to Faithfully Execute U.N. Charter

A decades-old Office of Legal Counsel memorandum claiming the President can disregard the UN Charter does not withstand serious scrutiny.
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