Document Type : Article

Authors

1 Assistant Prof. of Law Department, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. ‎

2 Assistant Prof. of Law Department, Bandarabbas Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bandarabbas, ‎Iran. ‎

Abstract

Abstract: On the morning of January 3, 2020, General Qassem Soleimani and his companions were targeted by a US drone near Baghdad airport and were martyred. In their first comments, the president and some other officials of the US declared the aforementioned action as Anticipatory Self-defense against an imminent attack, but in its letter to the Security Council, the American government declared the intended action as a Self-defense against an armed campaign and a series of real attacks by Iran-affiliated forces during the last months of 2019. The attacks that were carried out by the American authorities on behalf of the Islamic Republic of Iran and under the leadership of General Soleimani against bases, diplomatic places and American forces. This letter can be considered the official position of the United States. In this regard, some jurists found the American government's justification acceptable by resorting to the doctrine of "accumulation of events". The current research has evaluated the official justification of the US by using the analytical descriptive method and concluded that this claim and the arguments of the lawyers who defend it lack international legal validity and it is dangerous interpretation of the right of Self-defense in international law.

Keywords

Main Subjects

  1. English

    1. A) Books
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    1. B) Articles
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    1. C) Documents
    2. The United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2625, "The Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation among States" was adopted by the General Assembly on 24 October 1970
    3. Letter dated 8 January 2020 from the Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council, UN Doc S/2020/20, 9 January 2020.
    4. Human Rights Council, Forty Fourth Session, 29 June 2020, A/HRC/44/38

     

    1. D) Sites
    2. Cohen, Z. (2020). "Barr and Pompeo shift justification for Iran strike from 'imminent' threat to deterrence", https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/13/politics/pompeo-barr-soleimani-strike-iran-rationale/index.html
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    1. E) Case law
    2. Advisory Opinion on the Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, 9 July 2004, ICJ Reports 2004.
    3. Advisory Opinion on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons, 8 July 1996, ICJ Reports 1996.
    4. Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Bosnian and Herzegovina v Serbia and Montenegro), Judgment, ICJ Reports 2007
    5. Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo (Democratic Republic of Congo v Uganda), Judgment, ICJ Reports 2005.
    6. Eritrea Ethiopia Claims Commission partial Award: “Jus Ad Bellum”, Ethiopia's claims 1 -8, 19 December 2005, (2006), 45 International Legal Materials.
    7. Fleck, D. (2008). The Handbook of International Humanitarian Law, 2nd ed. Edited by Dieter Fleck. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.
    8. Ghasemi, A., barin Chaharbakh, V. (2012). Self-defense in the Post - 9/11: An Examination of the Jurisprudence of the ICJ, International Law Review, 28(45), 175-194. Doi: 22066/cilamag.2011.16951
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    11. Oil Platforms (Islamic Republic of Iran v United States of America), Judgment, ICJ Reports 2003.
    12. Temple of Preah Vihear (Cambodia vs. Thailand), Judgment, ICJ Reports 1962.

     

    References In Persian:

    1. Fleck, Dieter (2008) The Handbook of International Humanitarian Law, 2nd ed. Edited by Dieter Fleck. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.
    2. Ghasemi, Ali, barin Chaharbakh, Victor (2012), Self-defense in the Post - 9/11: An Examination of the Jurisprudence of the ICJ, International Law Review, Volume 28, Issue 45, Pp. 175-194. Doi: 22066/cilamag.2011.16951
    3. Momtaz, Jamshid, Saberi Niavarani, Behzad (2012), Impact of Subsequent Practice of States on the Principle of “Prohibition of Use of Force and Threat”, Volume 21, Issue 2, Serial Number 63, September 2012 Dor: 1001.1.10283102.1391.21.2.6.0