DistantNews
Support us
🇮🇱 Israel /Conflict & Security

Council of Europe Iran rapporteur to ‘Post’: ‘Crazy war’ violated intl law, did not help Iranians

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A rapporteur for the Council of Europe on Iran criticized a recent military campaign as a "crazy war" violating international law and serving electoral interests.
  • Max Lucks stated that Europe made the right decision not to join the war due to uncertain consequences and a lack of clear strategy or consideration for the Iranian civilian population.
  • He also expressed disappointment that the US failed to secure guarantees for detained Iranians during its negotiations with Tehran, noting the regime has benefited financially from a memorandum of understanding.

A German politician serving as the rapporteur on Iran for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has labeled a recent military campaign a "crazy war" that violated international law and lacked a clear strategy. Max Lucks, a member of the left-wing Green Party, told The Jerusalem Post that Europe was correct to abstain from the conflict, citing uncertainty over its consequences for international law.

Europe can't join a war when it is uncertain of the consequences for international law.

— Max LucksWhen asked about greater international involvement influencing the terms of a memorandum of understanding with Iran.

Lucks suggested the military action proceeded primarily to serve the electoral interests of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the Iranian people ultimately bearing the cost. He criticized the approach, stating, "Europe can't join a war where it's not sure of the consequences for international law…and not really sure of the strategy." He added that European states were not consulted before the war began and were simply asked to join an ongoing conflict that ultimately "went wrong."

it was the right decision not to join this war.

— Max LucksDescribing the recent military campaign as a 'crazy war' that lacked a clear strategy.

The interview followed Lucks' publication of a report on Iran's human rights situation and a Council of Europe session condemning the absence of terms benefiting the Iranian people in a memorandum of understanding with Iran. The report highlighted escalating human rights abuses in the Islamic Republic since early 2026, including the deaths of up to 30,000 Iranians during demonstrations and thousands of arbitrary detentions. The regime's actions, such as internet shutdowns and blocking UN investigators, have obscured the full extent of the crackdown.

Europe can't join a war where it's not sure of the consequences for international law…and not really sure of the strategy.

— Max LucksFurther elaborating on the reasons for Europe's abstention from the military campaign.

Lucks also voiced disappointment with the United States, particularly President Donald Trump's administration, for failing to secure guarantees for detained Iranians during negotiations with Tehran. He argued that the US president's support for the Iranian regime, coupled with the financial gains from the memorandum of understanding which requires minimal domestic adjustment from Iran, was unacceptable. The rapporteur emphasized that the regime has acquired significant financial infusion through the MoU.

No one called the European states before [starting the war] asking to join it or to support something.

— Max LucksCriticizing the unilateral initiation of the military campaign.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog