Swiss Defence Minister Martin Pfister told SonntagsZeitung that U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran breach international law and called for an immediate halt to protect civilians. Legal experts say the attacks may contravene the U.N. Charter's prohibition on force without authorization or legitimate self-defence. German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil questioned the conflict's legality and ruled out German participation, while Spain also condemned the strikes as illegal.
Swiss Defence Minister Says U.S. and Israeli Airstrikes on Iran Violate International Law
Swiss Federal Councillor Martin Pfister speaks during a press conference as he visits Swiss army troops in Bure, Switzerland May 26, 2025. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth
ZURICH/FRANKFURT, March 8 (Reuters) - Swiss Defence Minister Martin Pfister said in an interview published on Sunday that U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran amount to breaches of international law, making him the latest European leader to voice concern as the conflict widens.
Legal experts have argued that many states will view the attacks as unjustified under the United Nations Charter, which requires member states to refrain from the use of force or threats of force unless they have U.N. authorization or act in legitimate self-defence.
Swiss Government View
"The Federal Council is of the opinion that the attack on Iran constitutes a violation of international law," Pfister told SonntagsZeitung, referring to Switzerland's cabinet. "In our view it constitutes a violation of the prohibition of violence," he added, urging all parties to halt hostilities to protect civilians.
Broader European Concerns
Pfister said his remarks applied to any country that does not comply with the prohibition on violence, explicitly including the United States and Israel. "The Americans and Israel have attacked Iran from the air. In doing so, they, like Iran, violated international law," he said.
His comments echo those of German Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil, who told the RND newspaper network he had "serious doubts that this war is legitimate under international law." Klingbeil also firmly rejected any potential German involvement, saying: "I say clearly: this is not our war. We will not participate in this war."
Spain has likewise denounced the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran as reckless and illegal.
Context: The allegations center on interpretations of the U.N. Charter's rules on the use of force. States and legal analysts differ on what constitutes lawful self-defence or requires U.N. Security Council authorization.
(Reporting by John Revill and Christoph Steitz; Editing by David Holmes)
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