Iran Asks UN Court to Lift US Sanctions, Argues Violation of 1955 Treaty

After previously filing a lawsuit against the U.S. over the threat of new sanctions, Iran asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) today during principal arguments to lift new sanctions imposed in recent weeks.

The latest developments on the case are available at the ICJ’s website. The full transcript of today’s proceedings can be found here.

A previous request by the tribunal to halt new sanctions was not fulfilled by the U.S. State Department. In addition to new sanctions on Iran, the U.S. also established a new ‘Iran Action Group’ to coordinate all of its anti-Iran policies.

On July 25th, the ICJ issued “urgent communications” to the U.S. not to impose any new sanctions against Iran until the court could hear arguments and reach a verdict in the lawsuit filed by the Islamic Republic. (Photo: Tehran Times)

Antiwar.com reports…

Iran has filed a lawsuit at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) seeking a court order to lift US sanctions against them. The sanctions were imposed in recent weeks as part of the US withdrawing from the P5+1 nuclear deal, and subsequently trying to reimpose nuclear sanctions on the Iranians.

Iran argues that the unilateral sanctions are in violation of the 1955 Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations signed between Iran and the US in 1955. The treaty has been cited in previous Iranian lawsuits against the US at the ICJ.

This is the first time, however, that Iran has pushed a lawsuit regarding the treaty to prevent US sanctions. This may reflect that in the past, US sanctions tended to be part of international measures, while in this case, the US unilaterally withdrew from the existing diplomatic deal, and seeks to reimpose sanctions unilaterally, pushing the rest of the world to comply with them.

The US hasn’t commented on the new lawsuit, though since previous administrations have cited the 1955 treaty with Iran in other contexts, so it will be difficult for the current administration to claim that it isn’t still effectively in place.

READ MORE IRAN NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire Iran Files

SUPPORT 21WIRE – SUBSCRIBE & BECOME A MEMBER @21WIRE.TV

21st Century Wire is an alternative news agency designed to enlighten, inform and educate readers about world events which are not always covered in the mainstream media.