In an interview with Daily Maverick, South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation director-general Zane Dangor says both the US-Israeli strikes on Iran - and Iran's attacks on neighbouring states - are unlawful.

 President Cyril Ramaphosa has pointed out that 'anticipatory self-defence' is not permitted under international law. Does South Africa believe the US-Israeli attacks on Iran are illegal?

It's not just a question of belief. I think belief is in the realm of politics... Article 2(4) of the United Nations (UN) Charter, firstly, is very clear and it's very deliberate that all states shall refrain from the threat [or] use of force against the territorial integrity of another state. So, that lays the basis for what is permissible.

The same Charter then says that only the UN Security Council has the capacity... to authorise the use of force. So, if another state believes that they are under threat or that there's a duty [or] responsibility to protect civilians, the only way they can attack another state is with the go-ahead of the Security Council. That is if another state has not attacked them.

That brings us to what the President was talking about, which is Article 51 [of the UN Charter]. Article 51 then deals with self-defence. The only other time, other than [a] Security Council go-ahead, that a country can attack another one is through Article 51,...