Interpreting Self-Defense Restrictively: The World Court in the Oil Platforms Case

Abstract

The judgment in the Oil Platforms case between Iran and the United States is the third decision by the International Court of Justice in a series that restrictively interprets the international law on the use of force. The article provides an overview of the case and comments in detail on the parties' arguments and the Court's fi ndings on the right to self-defense, essential security interests and related evidentiary issues. The case is seen as a remarkable statement of the world court emphasizing the limits of the use of force and the role of the UN Charter at a time when the traditional law on self-defense is challenged by political events and legal writing.