{"id":35826,"date":"2022-09-19T08:17:16","date_gmt":"2022-09-19T08:17:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/?p=35826"},"modified":"2022-09-19T08:17:16","modified_gmt":"2022-09-19T08:17:16","slug":"iran-to-take-on-us-at-international-court-of-justice-in-bid-to-free-frozen-funds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/19\/iran-to-take-on-us-at-international-court-of-justice-in-bid-to-free-frozen-funds\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran to take on US at International Court of Justice in bid to free frozen funds"},"content":{"rendered":"

[ad_1]<\/p>\n

\n

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AFP) \u2014 Iran opens its legal battle before the UN\u2019s top court Monday to unfreeze billions of dollars in US assets, which Washington says must go to victims of terrorist attacks blamed on Tehran.<\/p>\n

The case before the International Court of Justice comes as hopes fade of reviving a landmark deal \u2014 which former US president Donald Trump withdrew from in 2018 \u2014 that sought to tame Iran\u2019s nuclear ambitions.<\/p>\n

Tehran took Washington to the Hague-based ICJ in 2016 after the US Supreme Court ordered some $2 billion in Iranian assets to be frozen, ordering the cash to go to survivors and relatives of attacks blamed on the Islamic Republic.<\/p>\n

These included the 1983 bombing of a US Marine barracks in Beirut which killed 299 people including 241 US soldiers, and the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia which left 19 dead.<\/p>\n

Iran, however, said the freezing of the funds breached the 1955 Treaty of Amity with the United States, an agreement signed before Iran\u2019s 1979 Islamic Revolution severed relations between the countries.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

\n\t\t\tGet The Times of Israel’s Daily Edition<\/span>
\n\t\t\tby email and never miss our top stories<\/span>\n\t\t<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\t\tBy signing up, you agree to the terms<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Tehran argued the United States had illegally seized Iranian financial assets and those of Iranian companies \u2014 and with Iran\u2019s clerical regime facing economic difficulties after sanctions and runaway consumer prices, resolving the case is crucial.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The aftermath of the bombing of the US Marines barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, October 23, 1983. (Jim Bourdier\/AP)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

In turn, Washington had unsuccessfully tried to disqualify the lawsuit by arguing that Iran\u2019s \u201cunclean hands\u201d \u2014 a reference to Tehran\u2019s suspected backing of terrorist groups \u2014 should disqualify its lawsuit to recover the $2 billion of assets.<\/p>\n

The US announced in October 2018 that it was pulling out of the Treaty of Amity after the ICJ in a separate case ordered Washington to lift nuclear-related sanctions on humanitarian goods for Iran.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The ICJ is the top court of the United Nations and was set up after World War II to resolve disputes between member states. Its rulings are binding and cannot be appealed, but it has no means of enforcing them.<\/p>\n

Stalled talks<\/h3>\n

Monday\u2019s hearing, to which US representatives are set to reply on Wednesday, comes as hopes fade to revive a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and the West which gives Iran sanctions relief in return for restricting its nuclear program.<\/p>\n

Former US President Donald Trump pulled out of what he called the \u201cterrible\u201d international nuclear agreement in 2018 and began reimposing sanctions, prompting Tehran to roll back its commitments made under the pact, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action Joint Commission meets in Vienna on Dec. 17, 2021. (EU Delegation in Vienna\/Handout via Xinhua via JTA)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Talks have been ongoing in Vienna since April last year, aimed at restoring the agreement by lifting sanctions on Tehran once again and pushing Iran to fully honor its obligations.<\/p>\n

But European powers nine days ago raised \u201cserious doubts\u201d over Iran\u2019s sincerity in seeking a nuclear agreement, adding that Tehran continued \u201cto escalate its nuclear program way beyond any plausible civilian justification.\u201d<\/p>\n

The statement by France, Germany, and Britain came a day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken assessed that Iran\u2019s latest reply to the nuclear deal is a step \u201cbackwards.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell \u2014 who had been coordinating talks over the past year and a half \u2014 told AFP last week that negotiations were in \u201cstalemate.\u201d<\/p>\n

The disputes with Iran include Tehran\u2019s insistence that the UN nuclear watchdog closes a probe into three undeclared sites suspected of previous nuclear work.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n


\n\t\t\t\tYou’re a dedicated reader\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n


\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWe\u2019re really pleased that you\u2019ve read X<\/span> Times of Israel articles<\/strong> in the past month.<\/span> \n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why we started the Times of Israel ten years ago – to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.<\/p>\n

So now we have a request.<\/strong> Unlike other news outlets, we haven\u2019t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE<\/strong>, as well as accessing exclusive content<\/strong> available only to Times of Israel Community members.<\/p>\n

Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tJoin Our Community\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tJoin Our Community\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\tAlready a member? Sign in to stop seeing this<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n