US official: Iran's complaint to the International Court of Justice is baseless
Following the Islamic Republic's complaint against the United States to the International Court of Justice for imposing unilateral sanctions against Iran, a US State Department official called the complaint baseless.
According to a report by Reuters on Tuesday, July 16, the Interior Ministry official, who did not want to be named, said: "We cannot comment on the details, but Iran's request is baseless and we intend to defend the United States with all our might in the International Court of Justice."
The International Court of Justice issued a statement on Tuesday announcing that the Islamic Republic had filed a complaint with the Court against the United States on July 15.
The statement said that Tehran claims that Washington has violated the Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations, and Consular Rights by imposing unilateral sanctions against Iran. The treaty was signed between the two countries in August 1955 and entered into force in June 1957.
According to the statement, Iran has demanded the lifting of US sanctions and threats, as well as compensation from the United States. Reuters also reported that Iran has also asked the court to order the United States to temporarily lift sanctions while the case goes through its legal process.
The United States withdrew from the JCPOA on May 8. Following that, Brian Hook, the US State Department's policy director, announced on July 1 that a new round of severe sanctions against Iran would be implemented from August 4, and the next part from November 4, and efforts would be made to reduce Iran's oil exports to zero.
From the very beginning, Iran called the US withdrawal from the JCPOA illegal and said that if the European Union joined, it would be willing to try to preserve the JCPOA without the US presence.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Monday, announcing Iran's complaint to the court, citing the "illegal reimposition of unilateral sanctions" and saying that Iran "adheres to the rule of law in the face of America's contempt for its legal obligations and diplomacy."
According to the Iranian Students News Agency, ISNA, Bahram Ghasemi, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Monday that the complaint was filed to "repair and compensate for the illegal actions of the United States in imposing sanctions against" Iran and "ensure the rights of the Iranian people and internationally prosecute the United States' illegal actions."
The next step is for the case to go to trial. The trial date has not yet been set, but the court typically issues a provisional ruling a few weeks after the complaint is filed, with the final decision a few months later.
According to Reuters, Iran had filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice in 2016 against the United States for violating the treaty, but Washington said at the time that the court lacked jurisdiction in the matter. The next hearing in the 2016 case is scheduled for October, about three months away.
The International Court of Justice, based in The Hague, is the highest court of the United Nations, and its rulings are binding. However, the court does not have the power to enforce its rulings, and the United States has sometimes ignored them.
Source: Radio Farda
