Public Law Studies Quarterly

The Relationship between Implied Recognition and Third-Party Intervention in International Court of Justice with emphasis on Intervention of Islamic Republic of Iran in South Africa vs Israel Case before the International Court of Justice

Document Type : Article

Authors

Ahmad Momenirad 1
Seyed Hossein Mousavifar 2
Soroush Seyedian Hashemi 3

1 Associate Professor of International Law, Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran

2 Assistant professor of International Law, Department of Criminal law and Criminology, Faculty of law and political sciences Ferdowsi university of Mashhad, Mahshad, Iran

3 Ph.D Candidate of International Law, Faculty of Law, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22059/jplsq.2025.375865.3523
Abstract
The aim of this article is to address the question of whether Iran’s intervention as a third party in the case brought by South Africa against the Israeli regime before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) would imply an implicit recognition of the Israeli regime as a state or not. The central hypothesis of this study is that initiating legal proceedings or third-party intervention, in this context, does not influence the legal matter of recognition. An examination of third-party intervention in the ICJ and the international law governing recognition reveals that neither initiating proceedings nor intervening as a third party would affect Iran’s position of non-recognition of the Israeli regime as a state. This is due to the fact that recognition occurs only through the explicit consent of states and further considering the fact that Iran explicitly insists on non-recognition of the Zionist Regime, intervention in a case as a third party would not imply recognition of the regime. Nonetheless, in deciding whether to intervene in the aforementioned case, it is necessary to consider the possibility that the Israeli regime could initiate an independent claim against Iran under the Genocide Convention as a means of neutralizing Iran’s legal action and influencing South Africa’s case against the regime.

Keywords

Implied Recognition
declaratory recognition
constitutive recognition
intervention of Article 62
intervention of Article 63
Genocide Convention
Subjects

  1. English

    1. A) Books and Book Chapters
    2. Crawford, J. (2006). The Creation of States in International Law (Second Edition). Oxford: Clarendon Press.
    3. Craven, M., & Parfitt, R. (2018). Statehood, Self-determination, and Recognition. In M. Evans (Ed.), International Law (5th Edition, pp. 177-226). Oxford University Press.
    4. Kilibarda, P. (2024). Recognition of States in International Law. Oxford University Press.
    5. Shaw, M. N. (2017). International Law (8th Edition). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
    6. Miron, A., & Chinkin, C. (2019a). Article 62. In C. J. Tams & A. Zimmermann (Eds.), (C. J. Tams & A. Zimmermann, Eds.). The Statute of International Court of Justice, A Commentary (3rd Edition, 1686-1740). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    7. Miron, A., & Chinkin, C. (2019b). Article 63. In C. J. Tams & A. Zimmermann (Eds.), (C. J. Tams & A. Zimmermann, Eds.). The Statute of International Court of Justice, A Commentary (3rd Edition, 1741-1774). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    8. Merrills, J., & De Brabandere, E. (2022). Merrills’ International Dispute Settlement (7th edition). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
    9. Quigley, J. (2021). The Legality of a Jewish State: A Century of Debate Over Rights in Palestine. India: Cambridge University Press.
    10. Zimmermann, A. (2019). Article 35, in, Andreas Zimmermann, Christian Tams, Karin Oellers-Frahm, Christian Tomuschat (eds.), The Statute of the International Court of Justice: A Commentary. (3rd Edition, 684-711), Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    11. B) Articles
    12. Aw, S. (2024). The effects of third-party intervention in the adjudication of maritime delimitation disputes. Journal of International Dispute Settlement, 15(1), 221-237. https://doi.org/10.1093/jnlids/idad029
    13. Hsieh, Pasha L. (2006). An unrecognized state in foreign and international courts: the case of the Republic of China on Taiwan. Michigan Journal of International Law, 28(4), 765-814.
    14. Pisillo Mazzeschi, R., & Carli, E. (2024). Proof of Specific Intent in the Crime of Genocide. Journal of International Criminal Justice, 22(2), 429-443. https://doi.org/10.1093/jicj/mqae025
    15. Talmon, S. (2005). The constitutive versus the Declaratory Theory of Recognition: Tertium Non Datur. British Yearbook of International Law, 75(1), 101-181. https://doi.org/10.1093/bybil/75.1.101

     

    1. C) Legal Instruments
    2. Convention on Rights and Duties of States. (1933). League of Nations Treaty Series, No.3802
    3. The UN Security Council. (1950). Memorandum on the Legal Aspects of the Problem of Representation in the United Nations. UN Doc. S/1466.
    4. Amendments to Articles 81,82 and 86 of Rules of the Court.(2024), available at: https://icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/press-releases/0/000-20240228-wri-01-00-enc.pdf
    5. (1945). Pact of the League of Arab States, Cairo, March 22, 1945, Annex on

    Palestine,vol. 70, at 237.

    1. UNGA (1947). Resolution 181 (III), A/RES/181(1947)
    2. UNGA (2012). Official Records of the 44th Plenary Meeting (29 November 2012), UN.Doc A/ 67/ PV.44
    3. (1947). Report to the General Assembly, 2nd Session, Vol I, A/364, supplement 11 at 43
    4. ICJ Statute (1945). Available at: https://treaties.un.org/doc/source/docs/charter-all-lang.pdf#page=23

     

    1. D) Case
    2. Allegations of Genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Ukraine v. Russian Federation) ,(2023) Admissibility of the Declarations of Intervention, Order of 5th June, available at: https://icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/182/182-20230605-ORD-01-00-EN.pdf
    3. equest for Intervention and Declaration of Intervention of The State of Palestine (2024). In the Case Concerning Application of The Convention on The Prevention and Punishment of The Crime Of Genocide in The Gaza Strip (South Africa V. Israel), Available at: https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20240603-int-01-00-en.pdf
    4. Declaration of Intervention of State of Palestine under Article 62 and Article 63 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice (2024). in the Case Concerning Application of The Convention on The Prevention and Punishment of the Crime Of Genocide in The Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel), Available at: https://icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20240603-int-01-00-en.pdf
    5. Declaration of Intervention of Federative Republic of Brazil pursuant to Article 63 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice (2025). in the Case Concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel), Available at: https://icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20250917-int-01-00-en.pdf
    6. Declaration of Intervention of The Maldives under Article 63 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice (2024). in the Case Concerning Application of The Convention on The Prevention and Punishment of the Crime Of Genocide in The Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel), Available at: https://icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20241001-int-01-00-en.pdf
    7. Declaration of Intervention of Columbia under Article 63 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice (2024). in the Case Concerning Application of The Convention on The Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in The Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel), Available at: https://icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20240405-int-01-00-en.pdf
    8. Declaration of Intervention of Libya under Article 63 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice (2024). in the Case Concerning Application of The Convention on The Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in The Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel), Available at: https://icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20240510-int-01-00-en.pdf
    9. Declaration of Intervention of Mexico under Article 63 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice (2024). in the Case Concerning Application of The Convention on The Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in The Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel), Available at: https://icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20240524-int-01-00-en.pdf
    10. Declaration of Intervention of Spain under Article 63 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice (2024). in the Case Concerning Application of The Convention on The Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in The Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel), Available at: https://icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20240628-int-01-00-en.pdf
    11. Declaration of Intervention of Turkyie under Article 63 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice (2024). in the Case Concerning Application of The Convention on The Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in The Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel), Available at: https://icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20240807-int-01-00-en.pdf
    12. Declaration of Intervention of Chile under Article 63 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice (2024). in the Case Concerning Application of The Convention on The Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in The Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel), Available at: https://icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20240912-int-01-00-en.pdf
    13. Declaration of Intervention of Bolivia under Article 63 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice (2024). in the Case Concerning Application of The Convention on The Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in The Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel), Available at: https://icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20241001-int-01-00-en.pdf
    14. Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel), (2024), Request For the Indication of Provisional Measures, available at: https://icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20240126-ord-01-00-en.pdf
    15. Declaration of Intervention under Article 63 of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in the case of Allegations of Genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Ukraine v. Russian Federation), (2022), available at: https://icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/182/182-20220805-WRI-01-00-EN.pdf
    16. Draft articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts,
    17. with commentaries, (2001), Available at: https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/commentaries/9_6_2001.pdf
    18. ICJ, (2024), Advisory Opinion on Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Including East Jerusalem, 19th July, available at: https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/186/186-20240719-adv-01-00-en.pdf
    19. ICJ Reports (1990), Land, Island and Maritime Frontier Dispute, Application by Nicaragua for Permission to Intervene, Judgment 13rd September 1990
    20. ICJ Reports (1992), Land, Island and Maritime Frontier Dispute (Merits, Judgment)
    21. ICJ Reports, (1995), Request for an Examination of the Situation in Accordancewith Paragraph 63 of the Court S Judgment of 20 December 1974 in the Nuclear Tests (New Zealand v. France) Case
    22. ICJ Reports, (1996),Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, Preliminary Objections, Judgment, , p.595
    23. ICJ Reports (2004). Legality of Use of Force case (Serbia and Montenegro v. Belgium), Preliminary Objections, pp. 279.
    24. ICJ Reports (2011). Jurisdictional Immunities of the State (Germany v. Italy), Application for Permission to Intervene, Order of 4 July 2011.
    25. ICJ Reports, (2011). Territorial and Maritime Dispute (Nicaragua v. Colombia), Application for Permission to Intervene, Judgment, p.420
    26. ICJ Reports, (2013). Declaration of Judge Giorgio Gaja. on Order of 6 February 2013 on Case concerning Whaling in the Antarctic (Australia v. Japan), Declaration of Intervention of New Zealand,p.41
    27. ICJ Reports (2013). Whaling in the Antarctic (Australia v. Japan), Declaration of Intervention of New Zealand, Order of 6 February, p.3
    28. Order of ICJ in Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel), (2024). Available at: https://icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20240126-ord-01-00-en.pdf

     

    1. E) Encyclopedia
    2. Papadaki, Matina. (2018). Intervention: International Court of Justice (ICJ). In H. R. Fabri (Ed.), (H. R. Fabri, Ed.), Max Planck Encyclopedia of International Procedural Law [MPEiPro]. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

     

    1. F) Websites
    2. https://icj-cij.org/case/192/intervention

     

    References In Persian:

    1. A) Books
    2. Beigzadeh, E. (2022). International Law. Tehran: Mizan Publication (In Persian).
    3. Mirabbasi, S. B. (2003). Public International law. (2nd Vol), Tehran: Mizan Publication (In Persian).
    4. Azizi, S. (2021). Creation and Succession of States. Hamedan: Publication Center of Buali Sina University (In Persian).

     

    1. B) Articles
    2. Alhouyinazari, H. (2015). Third Intervention in ICJ jurisprudence (Article 62 of the Statute), Quarterly Journal of Public Law of Tehran University Study, 45(4), 667-689 (In Persian).
    3. Abedini, A., & Ebrahimgol, A., (2024). Comparative Study of State Recognition as a result of Instituting a Claim before the International Dispute Settlement Bodies with emphasis on the Jurisprudence of International Court of Justice. Comparative Law Review, 15(1),.39-154 (In Persian).
Public Law Studies Quarterly
Volume 56, Issue 1 - Serial Number 45
Spring 2026
Spring 2026
Pages 111-130

  • Receive Date 05 June 2024
  • Revise Date 22 December 2024
  • Accept Date 03 February 2025

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