TEHRAN – An Iranian court has ordered the United States to pay $48 billion in damages to the families of Iranian military advisors who were deployed to Syria and Iraq at the request of the governments of those countries to assist in the fight against Daesh terrorists.

Despite Washington's denials, local forces involved in clearing Iraq and Syria of the Deash terrorist group in the 2010s widely perceive the United States as a primary supporter of these terrorists, offering substantial evidence for their claims.  

The court found that the families have endured significant emotional, financial, psychological, and spiritual harm as a result of the U.S.-backed terrorist attacks that led to the martyrdom of their loved ones. 

The court's verdict states that the families continue to live in a state of distress and fear due to the loss of their family members and their memories of their beloved ones’ brutal murder.

The court determined that the actions of U.S.-supported terrorist groups and the martyrdom of those who helped defend Iraq and Syria have caused irreparable physical and mental injuries, as well as financial and spiritual losses, to the families.

Iranian military advisors that helped vanquish Daesh in the two Arab countries are known as “Holy Shrine defenders” inside Iran, as both Iraq and Syria are home to tombs of prominent Shia figures. 

In June 2024, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei praised the movement of the Holy Shrine defenders for saving Iran and the region. He emphasized the importance of considering international and regional factors in any movement or revolution, citing examples of past Iranian struggles that were hindered by a focus on domestic issues and neglect of foreign interference.

Ayatollah Khamenei also highlighted the violent and inhumane nature of ISIS and similar groups, which were supported by the U.S. and the West. He stated that the goal of these organizations was to destabilize the region, including Iran, but the Holy Shrine defenders successfully countered this threat.

The commander who spearheaded the fight against Daesh during the 2010s, Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, was assassinated in a U.S. drone attack in 2020.