President Donald Trump on Tuesday denounced the International Criminal Court as an "out of control institution" and an "evil group of people," urging member nations to resign immediately. His condemnation came after the court issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump emphasized that Washington would "never allow US service members or anyone else to be investigated or given show-trials by an anti-American tribunal with no jurisdiction over us." The Trump administration has already imposed sanctions on ICC officials following the warrant against Netanyahu.
International Double Standards
This institutional bias against the Jewish state emerges as the United States navigates complex diplomatic engagements with Iran at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated Washington is open to meeting Iranian officials, though no meeting is scheduled. Rubio affirmed that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remains the primary US goal, declaring, "And that is the fact that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. They just simply can’t."
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is expected to address the assembly, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi already in New York. Despite these diplomatic overtures, Washington and Tehran remain in a state of conflict, with contacts continuing amid ongoing hostilities.
Iran's Axis of Aggression
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) spokesperson Hossein Mohebi declared on Tuesday that Tehran has hardened its conditions for ending the war with the US. This follows the collapse of a June MoU aimed at de-escalation. Mohebi asserted that if the US persists, "they will only make things difficult for themselves," and that America has "no choice" but to accept Iran’s terms. He also threatened that Tehran would "undoubtedly intensify" its response if the US launched new attacks, promising an "offensive posture" that would make America "regret its actions, suffering greater humiliation than ever before." The IRGC has rebuffed US attempts to establish contact, with Mohebi stating, "Our dealings with the enemy - as long as they remain hostile - are conducted solely through arms."
Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf reinforced this aggressive stance, stating that Iran's missiles can hit anywhere it chooses. Ghalibaf affirmed Iran's commitment to respond with strength in what he termed a "hybrid conflict" of economic, military, and diplomatic pressure. He vowed Iran would not surrender and would continue to operate, claiming Tehran had deprived its adversaries of capabilities.
This Iranian belligerence fuels its proxy network across the region, notably in Yemen, where Houthi forces have intensified their campaign against Saudi Arabia. On Saturday, 3 days ago, Saudi Arabia intercepted a ballistic missile targeting Riyadh, with residents reporting explosions near the capital’s airport. The Houthis claimed strikes on targets in Yanbu, Taif, Baysh, and Farasan, while seizing key territory along the Red Sea coast and advancing toward the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Saudi Arabia has responded with airstrikes and is seeking increased support from allies.
Western Resolve Tested
Heavy fighting continues in Yemen's Taiz, Marib, and al-Jawf regions, involving Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces and Houthi fighters. Warplanes have conducted intensive air strikes on Houthi positions. The escalation has led to increased drone use, with Yemeni government forces reportedly shooting down several, some carrying mortar rounds. US Secretary of State Rubio confirmed Washington's commitment to Saudi Arabia's security, stating, "We have a defence agreement with Saudi Arabia. We intend to live up to our commitments on it. We will." He described the conflict as "very dangerous and complicated."
Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Monday that Iranian airlines could be shut out of international travel from tomorrow, Wednesday, as Washington seeks to increase economic pressure. China, however, condemned these "illegal" US sanctions, with foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stating, "China consistently opposes illegal unilateral sanctions that lack a basis in international law or authorisation from the UN Security Council." This division undermines Western efforts to contain the Iranian regime, as President Trump prepares to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2 days, on Thursday, in the United States.