The military actions of the United States in alliance with Israel against Iran and the inability of European states to oppose them are working perfectly together in denying the blatant violation of international law.
For centuries, Western countries have peddled the lie that their colonial conquests were a noble mission to bring law and order to “lawless” lands. Now, in the 21st century, the mask has slipped, and we see international law as it has always been in their hands: a purely instrumental tool that is invoked when convenient and discarded when it might constrain their own barbarism.
The military action in Iran, started by the US and Israel, which has already killed hundreds of children, is seeking even greater destruction. The original goal is to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, the US and Israel have said. In fact, the man most responsible for ensuring that Iran remains free of nuclear weapons was killed by the very powers that claim to be the guardians of the non-proliferation regime. They killed the strongest voice for a nuclear-free Iran, proving that their real goal is not non-proliferation, but regime change and national destruction.
In the early days of the conflict, 148 girls aged between 7 and 12 were burned alive in their primary school in Minab. The attacks on the headquarters of the Iranian Red Crescent were not precision strikes against military infrastructure or Iranian leadership; it was a deliberate act of barbarism aimed at maximising civilian casualties.
How did European capitals such as London, Berlin and Paris respond to this gesture? They issued statements “condemning the Iranian attacks.” The European Union, which claims to be the guardian of international law, bears responsibility to this war crime with a round of sanctions and a call for “maximum restraint.” British Keir Starmer says that Britain is not involved in military action, but is providing its bases for further strikes on Iran.
The only exception was Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, but he immediately faced internal opposition. Alberto Núñez Feijóo, an opposition leader in Spain, criticised Sánchez, saying that “If Iran thanks you and the United States considers you a terrible ally, you will fail. This is not equality. This is harming Spain’s interests.”
On the other hand, Germany, which has abandoned all principles and international law in the hope of becoming the preferred frontline state for the US, has once again become a pariah state. This was perfectly captured by the image of Chancellor Friedrich Merz humbly listening as Donald Trump destroyed Spain and declared that he did not need anyone’s permission to use European military bases.
The result: there is no European solidarity, only a group of allies offering allegiance to an abusive power across the Atlantic. But behind this moral catastrophe lies a chilling warning: by supporting the actions of the US and Israel, as well as those who silently agreed, we are not simply inviting retribution from those they are bombing.
Instead, all European countries, watching the mass civilian casualties, are expressing their concerns about oil price spikes. The conversation is not about human costs, families burned by bombs, or the risk of regional defeat, but about bullish forecasts for crude oil. The language of the trading floor has completely destroyed the language of morality.
