Norway has reaffirmed its criticism of the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, with the country’s Deputy Foreign Minister arguing that international law must be upheld consistently, even when violations are committed by close allies.
Speaking on the importance of maintaining a rules based international order, Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik said that international law loses credibility if countries choose to defend it selectively. He stressed that legal principles should apply equally to friends and adversaries alike.
Norway has repeatedly stated that the US-Israeli strikes on Iran are not in line with international law, questioning the legal basis for the military action. Norwegian officials have argued that claims of preventive self-defence require evidence of an imminent threat, a threshold they believe has not been met in this case.
The Norwegian government has also condemned Iran’s retaliatory attacks targeting civilians and has called on all parties to exercise restraint and return to diplomatic negotiations. Officials in Oslo maintain that the escalating conflict has no military solution and warn that continued hostilities risk undermining global respect for international legal norms.
Norway’s position reflects a broader debate within Europe over the legality of the conflict, with several leaders and legal experts urging adherence to the United Nations Charter, which generally prohibits the use of force except in self-defence or with authorization from the United Nations Security Council.
