Iran Says US Pressure Threatens Foundations of UN‑Based Order

On August 22, Iran's foreign ministry rebuked Washington's newly announced sanctions, describing them as an assault on the sovereignty of every United Nations member. The ministry argued that the United States is trying to extend its jurisdiction beyond its own borders by forcing other nations to cut economic ties with Iran.

Bagheri emphasized that such secondary sanctions have no footing in the body of international law and flout the principle of equal sovereignty set out in Article 2(1) of the UN Charter. He also referenced the International Court of Justice’s ruling on Nicaragua, which reinforces the prohibition of external interference.

The Iranian official warned that coupling sanctions with a naval blockade—perceived by Tehran as equivalent to a military invasion—would further diminish the concept of sovereignty, turning it into a privilege that a dominant power can bestow or rescind at will.

He concluded that capitulating to these pressures would bring neither safety nor honor, but would instead subject Iran’s financial institutions, corporations and airports to the approval of a foreign authority, ultimately weakening the spirit of the UN Charter and the global order that rests on it.