Iran War: How the UN has been hijacked with Hillel Neuer
The Brink
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In this episode of The Brink, we are joined by Hillel Neuer to examine the role of the United Nations during the escalating crisis in Iran and to ask whether the institution is still capable of acting as a moral authority in world affairs.
Hillel argues that the UN’s response to the Iranian uprising has exposed deep structural problems within the organisation. While tens of thousands of protesters were reportedly killed during the regime’s crackdown, many UN bodies remained largely silent, yet quickly condemned the United States and Israel when military action was taken against the Iranian regime.
We explore how authoritarian states have gradually come to dominate key UN institutions, from the Human Rights Council to special rapporteur positions, and why mechanisms that were originally intended to defend human rights are now often used to advance political agendas. Hillel also explains how propaganda, procedural manoeuvres, and ideological alliances shape the way international law and legitimacy are discussed on the global stage.
Finally, we ask whether the UN can realistically be reformed, or whether democracies must find new ways to defend liberal values in a world where authoritarian regimes increasingly shape international institutions.
This is a candid and provocative conversation about international law, moral authority, and the struggle over the institutions meant to uphold the global order.
Watch the full uncut interview HERE: https://thebrinkpodcast.substack.com/p/iran-war-how-the-un-has-been-hijacked?r=63dafp
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Chapters
00:00 Introduction
03:21 The UN’s Reaction to the Iran Protests
05:00 Why the UN Condemns the US and Israel
06:36 October 7 and the UN’s Anti-Israel Bias
10:12 Why the UN Still Won’t Condemn Hamas
10:45 How Dictatorships Captured the UN
12:25 Why the UN Still Holds Global Legitimacy
14:14 Is the UN Actually Effective?
15:52 Can the UN Be a Neutral Legal Arbiter?
18:58 Iran’s Long War Against America
20:00 When International Law Undermines National Interest
21:39 Why Moral Action Sometimes Means Ignoring the UN
25:00 How the UN Was Hijacked After Decolonisation
27:00 The Role of the UN Secretariat
29:17 Special Rapporteurs and the Accountability Problem
35:05 The Genocide Accusations Against Israel Explained
40:30 Calling Out Hypocrisy at the United Nations
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