Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has hit back at US Secretary of State Marco Rubio by invoking the downfall of ancient Roman general Pompey, turning a historical reference into a warning against the use of military power to dismiss international law.
In a post on X on Sunday, Araghchi challenged Rubio's reference to Pompey, arguing that the Roman commander's military strength did not ultimately save him from defeat and execution.
“‘Don't quote laws to men with swords’ was uttered by a Roman general whose final campaign ended in crushing defeat, despite numerical superiority. He was beheaded after fleeing the battlefield,” Araghchi wrote.
“Better maxim: ‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,’” he added.
The exchange followed Rubio's speech on Friday at the Federalist Society's National Lawyers Convention in Washington, where he criticised the International Criminal Court (ICC) and accused international institutions of exploiting international law to pursue political interests.
“If they're foolish enough to try to enforce their paper decrees on Americans, our answer will probably be the same as the Roman general, Pompey,” Rubio said.
“Stop quoting laws to men with swords,” he added, invoking the ancient Roman commander.
The dispute also highlights a broader disagreement over the authority of international institutions, particularly the ICC, which Washington does not recognise as having jurisdiction over US…
