'Crazy' war violated int'l law, did not help Iranians, Council of Europe's Iran rapporteur says

What Happened

Max Lucks, the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly’s rapporteur on Iran, denounced a recent war as a ‘crazy war’ that lacked strategy, violated international law, and failed to help Iranians. He stated the campaign served the electoral interests of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and that the subsequent US–Iran memorandum of understanding (MoU) omitted human rights protections. Lucks cited human rights groups reporting up to 30,000 Iranians killed during demonstrations in late December 2025 and early January 2026, with thousands detained arbitrarily. Iranian police chief Ahmadreza Radan announced in May that security forces had arrested over 6,500 individuals accused of being ‘traitors and spies.’ Lucks criticised US President Donald Trump’s unfulfilled promises to Iranians and condemned EU member states’ willingness to ease sanctions after the MoU despite unchanged regime behaviour.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The rapporteur’s statement reflects deepening European unease over a war that failed to produce strategic gains while intensifying repression inside Iran. The omission of human rights conditions in the US–Iran MoU and the reported willingness of France, Germany, and Italy to ease sanctions underscore a realignment that prioritises short-term nuclear non-proliferation over accountability. With up to 30,000 dead in protests and mass arrests, the regime’s internal crackdown is arguably more severe than at any point since the 2022–23 unrest, yet international leverage is being dismantled without concessions on human rights or regional destabilisation by Iran’s ‘Axis of Resistance.’

Watch For

Monitor whether the Council of Europe adopts measures in response to Lucks’ report; any concrete EU sanctions relief decisions or linkage to nuclear commitments; implementation of the US–Iran MoU and its financial flows; further human rights documentation by HRANA or Iran Human Rights; and possible Israeli or Iranian actions that could reignite direct hostilities.