By Gary Raynaldo Diplomatic Times
The United States went before the International Court of Justice in The Hague Monday to confront Tehran at the UN’s top court over billions of dollars in frozen assets. The court appearance comes a week after the ICJ ordered the US to ease sanctions re-imposed after President Trump pulled out of 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. The Republic of Iran forced Washington before the ICJ in June 2016 to oppose a US Supreme Court ruling that the $2 billion should go to victims of terror attacks blamed on the Islamic republic. Iran said the case breached a 1955 “Treaty of Amity” between Washington and Tehran signed before Iran’s Islamic revolution. Washington has taken the iron-clad position that Iran’s “support for international terrorism” qualify for the case to be tossed out of the world court.
US Says Iran Action is “Misuse of Court For Political and Propoganda” purposes
“Today, oral proceedings before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) began in The Hague in a case brought by Iran against the United States, Certain Iranian Assets. As I have stated previously, Iran’s filings before the ICJ are a misuse of the Court for political and propaganda purposes,” U.S Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo.
The Iranian currency, the rial, has lost half its value against the dollar, the monthly inflation rate has risen to 10.2%, and unemployment stands at 12.5%
“The official announcement by the USA of the re-imposition of sanctions, including extraterritorial sanctions, has already not only accelerated the devaluation of the Rial, but also produced very significant damage to Iran’s economyand to Iranian nationals and companies. Since the decision was made public, multiple US and foreign companies and nationals have also announced the withdrawal from activities in Iran including the termination of their contractual relations with Iranian companies and nationals,” Islamic Republic of Iran.
Trump Pulls The US Out Of 2015 Nuclear Deal With Iran