Iran's Araghchi applauds German president for calling US-Israel war 'violation of international law'

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday applauded German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier for calling the US-Israeli war on Iran a "violation of international law." "International law is dead in practice—driven by Western double standards on Gaza vs. Ukraine and silence on Israel–U.S. aggression on Iran. Still, credit to President Steinmeier for condemning the violations against Iranians. Those who value the rule of law should also speak up," Araghchi wrote on X.

Steinmeier's criticism

Earlier Tuesday, the German president sharply criticized US President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and his launch of an "illegal" war against Iran. "In my opinion, this war is a violation of international law," Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a speech at the German Foreign Ministry, marking a rare public rebuke from a senior European leader.

Double standards accusation

Araghchi's remarks highlighted what Iran sees as Western hypocrisy, contrasting international reactions to conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine with the relative silence on US-Israeli strikes against Iran. The foreign minister's praise for Steinmeier suggests Tehran values European voices that challenge the US-Israeli narrative.

Conflict context

Hostilities have escalated since US and Israeli strikes on Iran began on Feb. 28, killing over 1,340 people according to Iranian authorities, including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran has retaliated with repeated drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and Gulf countries hosting US military assets. The conflict has expanded to Lebanon, where Israeli ground operations have displaced over one million people.

European divisions

While Germany has refused to participate in the US-Israeli campaign, Berlin has also maintained that a political solution is needed. Steinmeier's characterization of the war as illegal goes further than statements from Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has focused on post-war planning and conditional support for securing the Strait of Hormuz.