Approval of Urgent Proposal to Obligate Government to Pursue U.S. Damages Against Iran

On Sunday, the Iranian Parliament approved the urgent proposal titled "Obligation of the Government to Pursue Damages from the U.S. Against Iran," which, if finally approved, will require the government to take actions to seek compensation from the U.S. for 10 actions taken against Iran over the past 63 years. The urgency of this proposal was approved in a public session on Sunday, May 26, with 181 votes in favor, 6 against, and 8 abstentions out of a total of 216 representatives present. Following the approval of the urgency of this proposal, Mohammad Reza Bahonar, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, stated that about 70% of the representatives voted for it. According to parliamentary regulations, the details of this proposal will be reviewed in a public session within a maximum of three days. During the voting for this proposal, some members of Parliament chanted "Death to America." According to the text of this proposal, the government is obliged to "directly or through support for individuals and citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, take necessary actions, including legal actions, to obtain full compensation" from the U.S. government in 10 cases. The 1953 coup, the Nojeh coup, the Iran-Iraq war, and the attacks on Iran's oil platforms during this war are among the cases for which these members of Parliament have accused the U.S. of involvement and demanded compensation. These members also demanded compensation from the U.S. for "espionage" against Iran and "actions" by Israel that they claim were conducted with the support or involvement of the U.S. The Iranian government is also required to pursue compensation for "other actions or events that have occurred or will occur against the Islamic Republic with the support or involvement" of the U.S. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on April 21 of this year that $2 billion of Iran's frozen assets in the U.S. should be paid to the families of American victims of several terrorist operations "linked to Tehran," including the 1983 bombings at the U.S. Marine Corps and French soldiers' headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon. The U.S. government defended the Supreme Court's ruling, stating that it does not contradict international law. In response, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stated that Tehran would pursue this matter in the "international court." Fars News Agency reported on May 5 without providing details that, besides the $2 billion for which a seizure ruling was issued, "more than $16 billion" in claims for damages from the Islamic Republic in various cases in the U.S. is still ongoing.