The Americanization of International Lawand the Strategies of the Islamic Republic of Iran by Seyed Ghasem Zamani

This book review examines Seyed Ghasem Zamani’s The Americanization of InternationalLaw and the Strategies of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which critically analyses the growinginfluence of the United States on the formation, interpretation, and application of internationallegal norms and institutions. The book is structured in three chapters: the conceptual frameworkof Americanization; its manifestation across branches of international law—including the useof force, self-defence, targeted killings, dispute settlement, investment law, and the law of thesea; and proposed strategies for Iran to respond to this phenomenon. The central thesis is thatcontemporary international law is increasingly shaped by U.S. political, military, economic,and cultural preponderance rather than multilateral consensus. This “Americanization” operatesthrough unilateral reinterpretation of fundamental norms (notably Article 51 of the UN Charter),selective treaty ratification, double standards, resistance to international judicial bodies, and theexport of U.S. legal practices to international dispute settlement mechanisms. The book draws oncase studies including the 2003 Iraq invasion, the targeted killing of General Qasem Soleimani,and U.S. non-ratification of UNCLOS to illustrate how American exceptionalism has reshapedsubstantive and procedural rules. The final chapter offers counter-strategies: strengtheninginternational legal education, enacting responsive legislation, fostering regional cooperation,utilising international organisations (OIC and Non-Aligned Movement), lodging persistentobjections to emerging customary rules, producing alternative legal scholarship, reinforcingjudicial institutions, and enhancing Iran’s role in the UN Sixth Committee. The book contendsthat the Americanization of international law challenges the rule-of-law-based character of theinternational order. While acknowledging some beneficial effects, Zamani insists that concernedStates must adopt a multi-layered approach—combining education, diplomacy, legislation, andinstitution-building—to preserve the universality, diversity, and legitimacy of international law.The review concludes that the work is a timely and valuable contribution, offering both analyticaldepth and practical relevance for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners.