‘Trump, Netanyahu’s military attack on Iran is an illegal act of aggression’: US activist Kenneth Roth
Iran war: There is no evidence to support Trump’s claims of Iran’s ‘imminent threat’. The list of attacks Trump cited are also not ongoing or imminent, said Roth.
- Mar 2, 2026,
- Updated Mar 2, 2026 4:09 PM IST
US-Israel-Iran war: There is no lawful justification for Donald Trump’s and Benjamin Netanyahu’s military attack on Iran, said American attorney, human rights activist, and writer, Kenneth Roth. He called it an “illegal act of aggression” and said it was no different from Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
In a column for The Guardian, Roth said that the UN charter allows use of military force only in two circumstances – as an act of defence, or with the authorisation of the UN Security Council. “Neither was present,” he wrote.
There is no evidence to support Trump’s claims of Iran’s ‘imminent threat’. The list of attacks Trump cited are also not ongoing or imminent. What they did was, at best, preemptive, said Roth. “But prevention is no justification for war,” he added, further stating that this would open the Pandora’s box to countless armed conflicts.
Roth stressed on the importance of diplomacy and non-military forms of pressure. Iran is already under comprehensive sanctions, and both Trump and Netanyahu are facing challenges at home as elections approach.
The activist said the focus of the now-suspended negotiations were unclear. For eg, Trump said Iran must agree to never have a nuclear weapon, but Iran has repeatedly said the same thing. It was also open to inspections of its nuclear facilities and diluting what remains of its highly enriched uranium.
Trump wanted Iran to forsake any uranium enrichment, which the Iranian negotiators resisted. On some occasions the US also demanded limiting Iran's ballistic missiles and its support for Hezbollah, Hamas and Houthis. While it was unclear how these negotiations might have played out, Trump by himself had decided that Iran wasn’t serious about a deal.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu never wanted a deal, said Roth.
Even so, the Iranian government is despicable, said Roth, which is why most international response has been “cool”.
Roth added that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the strike, was 86 years old, and the Iranian regime was preparing to name a successor. “Even if the Islamic Republic does not topple, it is possible that his successor will be more accommodating,” said Roth.
US-Israel-Iran war: There is no lawful justification for Donald Trump’s and Benjamin Netanyahu’s military attack on Iran, said American attorney, human rights activist, and writer, Kenneth Roth. He called it an “illegal act of aggression” and said it was no different from Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
In a column for The Guardian, Roth said that the UN charter allows use of military force only in two circumstances – as an act of defence, or with the authorisation of the UN Security Council. “Neither was present,” he wrote.
There is no evidence to support Trump’s claims of Iran’s ‘imminent threat’. The list of attacks Trump cited are also not ongoing or imminent. What they did was, at best, preemptive, said Roth. “But prevention is no justification for war,” he added, further stating that this would open the Pandora’s box to countless armed conflicts.
Roth stressed on the importance of diplomacy and non-military forms of pressure. Iran is already under comprehensive sanctions, and both Trump and Netanyahu are facing challenges at home as elections approach.
The activist said the focus of the now-suspended negotiations were unclear. For eg, Trump said Iran must agree to never have a nuclear weapon, but Iran has repeatedly said the same thing. It was also open to inspections of its nuclear facilities and diluting what remains of its highly enriched uranium.
Trump wanted Iran to forsake any uranium enrichment, which the Iranian negotiators resisted. On some occasions the US also demanded limiting Iran's ballistic missiles and its support for Hezbollah, Hamas and Houthis. While it was unclear how these negotiations might have played out, Trump by himself had decided that Iran wasn’t serious about a deal.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu never wanted a deal, said Roth.
Even so, the Iranian government is despicable, said Roth, which is why most international response has been “cool”.
Roth added that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the strike, was 86 years old, and the Iranian regime was preparing to name a successor. “Even if the Islamic Republic does not topple, it is possible that his successor will be more accommodating,” said Roth.