Swiss Defence Minister Martin Pfister stated that the airstrikes carried out by the United States and Israel against Iran violated international law.

Speaking to the Swiss newspaper Sonntags Zeitung, Pfister commented on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East that began after the United States and Israel targeted Iran.

Criticizing the countries involved in the attack, Pfister said, “The United States and Israel carried out airstrikes on Iran. By doing so, they violated international law, just as Iran has.”

“The Federal Council believes that the attack on Iran constitutes a violation of international law. In our view, it represents a breach of the prohibition on the use of force,” Pfister said, calling on all parties to stop the attacks in order to protect civilians.

Pfister also warned that there is a risk of terrorist attacks in Switzerland and noted that the war could trigger a wave of refugees that might reach the country.

He said Switzerland does not believe it is directly threatened by Iran’s long-range missiles, but added that indirect consequences cannot be ruled out.

Pfister emphasized that security should be approached comprehensively, not only from a military perspective. In addition to the army, police and intelligence services also play an important role in national security, he said.

“I believe the public will understand that we need more resources for this,” Pfister added.

He also highlighted concerns over the country’s defense capabilities, noting that the lack of defense systems is particularly worrying.

“At the moment, we have nothing that would allow us to defend ourselves against long-range attacks,” he said.

US–Israel Strikes on Iran

Israel and the United States launched military strikes on Iran on Feb. 28 while negotiations were still ongoing between Tehran and Washington.

Iran responded with attacks targeting Israel as well as locations in several regional countries hosting US military bases, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

In the US-Israeli strikes, a number of senior officials were reportedly killed, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Saeid Iravani, said in a statement at the UN that at least 1,332 Iranian civilians have been killed and thousands injured since the attacks began.