On February 28th of 2026, the US and Israel instigated an illegal war against Iran. This act of aggression was portrayed as a pre-emptive strike to destroy Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities and potentially toppling the Islamic Republic. And yet, experts suggest there was no imminent danger, nor reason to expect major hostilities from Iran. Negotiations regarding the nuclear file were still ongoing. Israel and US’s military campaigns have involved widespread attacks on the civilian population, residential neighbourhoods, hospitals, schools, universities and critical economic infrastructure. The attack has unfolded amid the broader context of Israel's genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, West bank annexation and a war on Lebanon. The Iranian response of attacking neighbouring countries in the Gulf and closing the strait of Hormuz have enlarged the scale and implications this war has, not only on the region but also on the world. It carries the risk of triggering another large-scale humanitarian and environmental catastrophe. In this panel, speakers will critically examine the underlying dimensions of this war through sociological, political, and legal-theoretical perspectives, offering a critical analysis of neocolonial violence, dictatorship, resistance and liberation.

Speakers 
Dr. Leila Faghfouri Azar
Dr. Ladan Rahbari
Dr. Shahin Nasiri
Dr. Farid Boussaid

Time and Location 
8th June, 15:00-17:00
Roeterseiland campus A2.09
Universiteit van Amsterdam