METO Statement on US-Israel Military Strikes on Iran

Date: 28 February 2026

Today’s attack, conducted by U.S. President Donald Trump, alongside Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, against Iran marks a dangerous turning point for the Middle East and for the international order itself.

This is not merely another episode of regional confrontation. It is a direct blow to the fragile architecture of international law. The use of force outside the framework of the United Nations Charter erodes the very rules designed to prevent war and human destruction.

These strikes do not meet any widely recognized standard of lawful pre-emptive self-defence. When powerful states bypass legal constraints, the global norm against unilateral force weakens for everyone.

It is especially astonishing that two nuclear-armed states have resorted to military action against a non-nuclear-weapon state at a time when negotiations were ongoing. If the goal is to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction, this is a perilous path. History shows that coercion and escalation fuel proliferation pressures rather than resolve them. The shadow of nuclear miscalculation now looms larger over an already volatile region.

Now more than ever human lives are subdued to the interests of global leaders for the sake of their power. Families across the region are once again bracing for uncertainty. Their right to live without fear of bombardment, displacement, or catastrophic escalation is now being exploited.

Diplomacy is being tested at its weakest moment. If negotiations can be overtaken by force, what message does that send about the value of dialogue? What remains of collective security if international norms are selectively applied?

We urgently call on all leaders involved to halt further escalation, protect civilians, and return to credible diplomatic engagement. Humanity must prevail.

The Middle East Treaty Organisation stands with the people of the region. We wish to reiterate that the only way forward is through fair and impartial negotiations, in particular through those taking place at the UN Conference on establishing a WMD Free Zone in the region.
In good will, we encourage Israel to join such processes in the name of peace and dialogue.

For media enquiries:

Sharon Dolev +972 528 480 543, sharon@wmd-free.me 

Emad Kiyaei +1 631 371 9292, emad@wmd-free.me

Paul Ingram +44 790 870 8175, paul@wmd-free.me

Endorsements

Victor Amisi Sulubika, Executive Director, Vision GRAM-International

Spencer Graves, PhD, Secretary, PeaceWorks Kansas City (pwkc.org)

Ivana Nikolić Hughes, PhD, President, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (wagingpeace.org)

Jacqueline Cabasso, Executive Director, Western States Legal Foundation (wslfweb.org)

Hsin Yen Phoebe Mok, Executive Director, beHuman

Sean Conner, Executive Director, International Peace Bureau (www.ipb.org)