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US violated ICJ’s ruling to lift sanctions against Iran: Envoy

Tuesday, 03 November 2020 11:52 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 03 November 2020 11:52 PM ]

Iran’s permanent ambassador to the United Nations, Majid Takht Ravanchi

Iran’s permanent ambassador to the United Nations says the US has violated a binding ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that ordered Washington to lift some of its unilateral sanctions against Tehran.

Majid Takht-Ravanchi said in a speech to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday that the United States paid no heed to the ICJ’s ruling in 2018 and violated the international law by intensifying sanctions and coercive measures against the Islamic Republic.

Takht-Ravanchi said the US sanctions have impacted Iran’s ability to engage in free trade, and have particularly impeded the country’s access to medicine and medical supplies during the coronavirus pandemic.

“These sanctions have directly and indirectly targeted Iranian companies and the Iranian people and affected Iran's ability to trade freely,” the Iranian diplomat said.

“The United States is bound by the court, and any non-compliance is subject to international responsibility,” Takht-Ravanchi added. “The court has asked the litigants to refrain from actions that would aggravate or expand the dispute. It is clear that US wrongdoing gives rise to its international responsibility.”

Back in October 2018, the ICJ ordered the United States to halt the unilateral sanctions it had re-imposed on "humanitarian" supplies to Iran.

The Hague-based court, which is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, announced its ruling on October 3 regarding the July 2018 lawsuit brought by Tehran against Washington's decision to re-impose unilateral sanctions following the US exit from a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers.

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The decisions of the ICJ – which rules on disputes between UN member states – are legally binding.

The ruling requires Washington to allow supply of medicine and medical devices, food and agricultural goods and airplane parts, which directly deal with human lives.

Iran’s lawsuit argued that the sanctions violate the terms of the 1955 Treaty of Amity between Iran and the US, which the latter canceled following the October ruling.

The US claims it has formally exempted humanitarian supplies, but banks and financial institutions refuse to process Iran-related transactions for fear of provoking US sanctions.

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