Defence minister: Attack on Iran ‘absolutely justified’
The attack by the United States and Israel on Iran is “absolutely justified”, Belgian Defence minister Theo Francken told Radio 1 on Tuesday, adding that he does not believe in the possibility of a democratic transition under the current regime.
“It is one of the most horrible regimes in the world,” said Francken, of N-VA, referring to the killing of thousands of citizens by the authorities in recent months. Internationally, it is “a very evil player” with the aim of destabilising the West.
The question of whether the attack is in line with international law is for lawyers to argue, he said. Though he supports international law, he says it does not work in practice. The Iranian regime is able to do what it wants because it has an ally in Russia on the UN Security Council that can veto any sanction, Francken said.
He believes that in time, regime change in Iran will be the goal, and that a democratic transition under the current theocratic system is “impossible and unthinkable”.
On Monday, Foreign minister Maxime Prévot described the strikes on Iran as a breach of international law but “justified for global security” during an interview on RTBF’s La Première.
Prévot, of Les Engagés, said that principles of international law “must be weighed against the principle of reality”. After years of diplomatic efforts to persuade Iran to halt its ballistic and nuclear programmes, he said, “the risk of a security crisis and widespread conflict in the region had to be avoided”.
© BELGA PHOTO JONAS D'HOLLANDER
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