When International Law Hinders Action

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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