International Court of Justice to hear Iran lawsuit against U.S.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will hear a case brought by Iran against the U.S. seeking to recover billions in frozen assets, which U.S. courts claimed should go to American victims of terror attacks.
The International Court of Justice said in a statement issued on Friday it will “hold public hearings in the case concerning Certain Iranian Assets (Islamic Republic of Iran v. United States of America), from Monday 8 to Friday 12 October 2018” at its seat in The Hague, AFP reported.
The hearings “will be devoted to preliminary objections raised by the United States,” the statement added, after which judges will decide whether or not they can rule in the dispute.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in April 2016 that $2 billion in frozen Iranian assets should be paid to about 1,000 survivors and relatives of those killed in the 1983 bombing of a U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut and other attacks.
According to Press TV, two months later, Iran filed a formal complaint with the ICJ about the “illegal verdicts” issued by American courts.
“The government will follow the case until the nation’s rights are realized and the money is back, along with its compensation,” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said.
Iran’s frozen assets have long been subject to a witch hunt by the Americans who have used Washington’s animosity toward the Islamic Republic to easily win lawsuits against the country in U.S. courts.
Iran says the U.S. is breaking the terms of the 1955 Treaty of Amity signed with the then regime of the Shah concerning economic relations and consular rights.