International law matters when it comes to something as significant as a widescale military assault on a territory of another state, resulting in the death of its political and religious leader.

The 1945 United Nations charter was written at the end of the second world war to place significant constraints around precisely that type of conduct, and yet 80 years later there is a clear sense that we are living in a world in which “might is right”.

This is especially so when the significant military capability of the US and Israel is unleashed without any reference to accepted international norms.

Australia has been supportive of efforts to constrain Iran’s nuclear ambitions and has made clear it will not mourn the death of Khamenei. Foreign affairs minister Penny Wong’s statement that “I’ll leave it for the United States and Israel to speak of the basis, the legal basis for the attacks” was cautious and suggested Australia was fence-sitting. On one level this may seem reasonable as the onus clearly rests with the US and Israel to justify conduct which is a serious violation of the UN charter and an act of aggression. However, how........

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