Jonas Gahr Støre says that Israel has no legitimate right to attack Iran. This is a remarkable statement. Støre will not call the attack self-defense. He does not recognize Israel’s right to a preemptive strike, even though Iranian leaders have repeatedly declared that they will destroy Israel if given the chance.
Støre says Israel has no legitimate right to attack Iran.
-International law emphasizes the legitimate use of military force in two ways. It is in self-defense, if you have been attacked, or if there is a decision by the UN Security Council. And neither of these conditions are met here. I understand that Israel considers it an existential threat if Iran were to obtain a nuclear weapon. But where we are today, we cannot say that it is legitimate, Støre said at a press conference Friday.
On Thursday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) decided that Iran has violated the conditions for membership and that they were about to “break out.” The IAEA stated outright that Iran is in the process of building a nuclear bomb. Nevertheless, Støre says that the situation is hypothetical. Israel must wait until Iran has acquired a nuclear bomb. Then it will be too late. This is a very strong statement from a prime minister of a country that claims to defend Israel.
Previously, it was minister of foreign affairs, Espen Barth Eide, who made confrontational statements about Israel. Støre goes even further than Barth Eide. The condemnation of the escalation is a slap on the wrist.
-Norway condemns the escalation of the war situation around Iran. This is a significant escalation and a danger of further escalation of the conflict between Israel and Iran. And we can say with certainty that what happened last night is more extensive and more serious than we have ever seen in the conflict between Iran and Israel, said Støre (Ap) at a press conference on Friday.
Israel is said to have informed Iran that if they refrain from retaliating, Israel will spare Iran’s oil and gas industry. If that goes, Iran’s economy goes too.
-What is happening now is that military language is speaking. This makes the diplomatic track extremely, extremely vulnerable, Støre said.
Støre says he understands the concerns of Norwegians who woke up on Friday worried about the global situation and security.
-I understand that very well, and I think we should be concerned in a world where more wars are starting than we are able to stop, he said, referring to the war in Ukraine, among other things.
-As for Norwegian security, I can reassure everyone. We have good control and oversight of it. We have security in Norway, security at our borders, and we are monitoring the situation closely with our allies.