South African President Cyril Ramaphosa released a statement warning that the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran “pose a serious threat to regional and international peace and security, with far-reaching humanitarian, diplomatic and economic consequences.” He called on “all parties to exercise maximum restraint and to act in a manner consistent with international law, international humanitarian law and the principles of the United Nations Charter,” but he also called out that preventive aggression is not allowed under international law. Article 51 of the UN Charter “provides for self-defense only when a state has been subjected to an armed invasion,” he wrote. “Anticipatory self-defense is not permitted under international law, and self-defense cannot be based on assumption or anticipation.”
As for the claim that waging war will bring peace to the region, President Ramaphosa reminded that “experience has repeatedly demonstrated that there can be no military solution to fundamentally political problems that can and should be resolved diplomatically. Military confrontation has never delivered sustainable peace, nor has it addressed the legitimate grievances that underlie conflict. Long-term peace and stability can only be achieved through inclusive dialogue and a genuine commitment to justice and coexistence.” Diplomacy and “meaningful negotiations” are needed.
