By: Simon Brooke :: 4 March 2026
This is a letter to my [Tory] MP, John Cooper, urging him to protest about British engagement in Trump and Netanyahu's attack on Iran. It is, obviously, framed to persuade a Conservative. It's not necessarily what I'd say to someone who was not Conservative.
Dear John Cooper,
The American attack on Iran was clearly illegal under international law. The US did not seek, and was not granted, authorisation from the United Nations to launch such an attack; and clearly, Iran was not in a position to make an 'imminent' attack on the US. The UK government, over the weekend, went from a clear and principled statement on this, through vacillation, to abject complicity.
The fact that the Iranian republic has been a despotic regime and a supporter of international terrorism is a consideration which could have been taken to the security council in support of a case for war, but that case is somewhat weakened when one considers that one of the belligerent parties is the state of Israel. The fact that the attack was launched as Iranian representatives were negotiating, apparently in good faith, with representative of the US in Oman, further undercuts any plausible justification.
Britain is no longer a major power on the world stage; however, as one of the principal architects of the 'international rules-based order', we have some responsibility to ensure that our allies, as well as our opponents, act in accordance to its principles.
I trust that you will, on our behalf, make representation to the Foreign Office urging the withdrawal of any aid to any belligerent powers in this unnecessary conflict.
Yours sincerely,
Simon Brooke
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