CPICL hosted a panel on international law and the war in Iran
On Tuesday 24 March 2026, CPICL Fellows hosted a panel discussion titled 'International Law and the War in Iran'. The event brought together scholars from UQ School of Law to examine some of the most pressing international legal questions arising from the current conflict in the Middle East.
The discussion addressed a wide range of topics central to the regulation of armed conflict under international law. These included the legality of the use of force, the law of neutrality, the law of armed conflict, international criminal law, maritime law, and refugee law. Together, these fields illuminate the breadth of legal questions raised by contemporary warfare, from the lawfulness of military action and the protection of civilians to the implications of conflict for international shipping, displacement, and accountability for atrocity crimes.
The panel featured leading experts across these areas. CPICL Director of International Law Dr Caitlin Goss opened the discussion by addressing the legality of the use of force, drawing on her expertise in public international law. CPICL Deputy Director Professor Anthony Cassimatis examined the law of neutrality and its continuing relevance in contemporary conflicts, while Professor Rain Liivoja explored the law of armed conflict and the legal rules governing the conduct of hostilities. Professor Elies van Sliedregt, a Visiting Professor of Law at Tilburg University and a leading scholar in international criminal law, considered questions of individual criminal responsibility and accountability for war crimes arising from the conflict.
The panel also considered the broader legal consequences of war beyond the battlefield. Professor Craig Forrest discussed the law of the sea, with particular attention to developments in the Strait of Hormuz and the legal implications of conflict for international navigation through one of the world’s most strategically significant maritime chokepoints. Lastly, Professor Peter Billings addressed refugee law and the legal challenges surrounding displacement, protection obligations, and the treatment of those fleeing conflict.
The event highlighted the value of interdisciplinary engagement in understanding the role of international law in times of crisis. It also reflected the broader importance of the CPICL, whose mission is to advance research, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and create scholarly exchange across public, international and comparative law. In that respect, the panel exemplified CPICL’s role as an intellectual hub for rigorous engagement with urgent legal questions of global significance.