US hails ICJ’s judgment in ‘Certain Iranian Assets’ case

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has issued a judgment in the Certain Iranian Assets case, rejecting the majority of Iran’s case under the now-terminated Treaty of Amity, a press statement issued by the United States Department of State said.   

The press statement stressed that Iran attempted to use the Treaty to challenge payments to the United States victims of “Iran-sponsored terrorism who obtained US court judgments against Iran.”   

According to the US Department of State, the decision comes as Iran attempts to avoid its responsibility, especially in the case related to the families of US peacekeepers who were killed in the bombing of the Marine Corps barracks in Beirut in 1983.  

The statement assures that the US recognizes the Court’s role in the rule of law and commends the ruling related to Bank Markazi, Iran’s central bank.  

“We are disappointed that the Court has concluded that the turnover of assets of other Iranian agencies and instrumentalities to US victims of Iran’s sponsorship of terrorism was inconsistent with the Treaty," the statement stressed, adding that US courts directed the turnover of assets to victims following US laws “that have helped those and other victims of State-sponsored terrorism receive compensation for the grave losses that they and their families have suffered.”  

“As the United States made clear in its arguments to the Court, the Treaty was never intended to shield Iran from having to compensate US victims of its sponsorship of terrorism,” it added.  

Additionally, per the statement, the Court’s decision was clear that it will not impact the US laws that allow US victims of terrorism to seek compensation from Iran or “any other State sponsor of terrorism in US courts going forward, in light of the Treaty’s termination.”