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Professor Kishore Mahbubani stresses that the war against Iran teaches that even the most militarily powerful nations cannot escape the consequences of war. He points out the silence of smaller states on international law violations and advises caution before initiating conflicts.

The Iran War's Lesson and International Law Violations

Kishore Mahbubani, Founding Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, emphasized that the Iran war offers a crucial lesson. He stated that no matter how powerful a nation is militarily, it will still suffer the consequences of wars. He also criticized the situation where everyone knows the war against Iran is a breach of international law, but smaller states find it very difficult to state this publicly. Citing the brave statement of the German President, he explained that many small states' silence on the war's violation of international law is essentially an act to avoid 'committing suicide'.

The Need for Deliberation Before Starting Wars

Professor Mahbubani hopes that this situation will lead nations to think twice before starting wars in the future. The devastating consequences of war cannot be escaped even by military powers, a critical issue for all nations to ponder. He stressed that the biggest lesson from the Iran war will be that the outcomes of war are not solely determined by military strength. War involves complex international relations and respect for international law, and violating it will incur costs for all parties involved.

*Source: YouTube: CGTN (2026-04-07)*

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