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Discussant at a webinar, titled Iran–Israel War: Implications for South Asia and its Neighbourhood, on Thursday said that Iran-Israel war had unmasked the hypocrisy of western rules-based order.

The South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance at North South University hosted the webinar, bringing together renowned academics, policy experts and geopolitical analysts from across Asia to explore the far-reaching consequences of the recent Iran–Israel war on South Asia and beyond, said a press release.  

Zeinab Ghasemi Tari, associate professor at the faculty of world studies, University of Tehran, said that Israel’s June 13 strike on Iran sabotaged ongoing diplomacy, exposing Western double standards and violating international law.

Despite declared goals, Israel failed to dismantle Iran’s nuclear or political structures, while the conflict triggered global instability, regional militarisation and rising public support in Iran for nuclear deterrence, she mentioned.

She added, ‘The United States and European powers have fundamentally undermined their credibility as guardians of international norms. Their selective application of rules has exposed the rules-based international order as functionally meaningless. This hypocrisy eliminates any moral high ground on human rights or sovereignty issues.’ 

Professor Qian Feng, senior research fellow at the National Strategy Institute, Tsinghua University, China, stated that the Iran-Israel war affected China’s economic and strategic interests. ‘So, China strives to build a peaceful regional order that serves China in the long run.’

‘China wants to avoid big power confrontations,’ he mentioned.

Professor Amjad Abbas Khan, University of Punjab, said that although Pakistan was deeply affected by the Iran–Israel conflict due to shared borders, trade ties, and rising migration, it was the first to condemn the Israeli attack. ‘It called for a ceasefire, opposed regime change efforts, and used diplomatic channels to preserve stability and its strong bilateral ties with Iran.’

Professor Mohammed Nuruzzaman, department of political science and sociology, NSU, said that Bangladesh condemned the Israeli attacks on Iran, and the public supported Iran unequivocally.

He also emphasised that the Iran-Israel war put Bangladesh in a diplomatic strategic ambiguity—balancing religious solidarity with Muslim nations and public sentiment against Israel, while also protecting its economic ties with the west, remittances from gulf countries, and strategic interests.   

Professor Mahendra Lama, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India, highlighted that India’s foreign relations were very complex, balancing hard and soft power amid tensions with neighbours and major powers like the US, Russia, and China.

‘India’s strategic ties, especially with Iran and its diaspora in the gulf, are important but have weakened, while its relations with Pakistan and involvement in global security issues add further challenges. But now India needs to have its own diplomatic stance and not follow US policies blindly,’ he mentioned.

The session concluded with a remark by the session chair, Professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, vice-chancellor of North South University.

Hannan Chowdhury mentioned that Muslim countries will keep supporting Iran, as Israel’s dominance reflects an aggressive approach, hoping for a peaceful world where everyone could live in harmony.  

The session was moderated by Professor Sk Tawfique M Haque, director of SIPG at NSU, who emphasised that the recent Iran–Israel war marked a shift from proxy to direct conflict, with a fragile ceasefire and global implications.

He warned that South Asia must prepare for strategic, economic and diplomatic ripple effects for any future probable war or conflicts in the Middle East.