Pompeo: The U.S. Will Counter Iran's Unfounded Claims at the International Court

On Monday, September 5, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that Iran's recourse to the International Court of Justice is an attempt to undermine America's right to act in national security matters, and Washington will firmly counter Iran's claims. Pompeo's remarks come as Iran's lawsuit against the U.S. for reinstating sanctions against Tehran began at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands. The Islamic Republic of Iran claims that the return of U.S. sanctions is a violation of the Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations and Consular Rights between Iran and the U.S. from 1955. In response to Iran's lawsuit, Pompeo said, "Iran's complaint to the court is an attempt to question America's sovereign right to take lawful actions, including the re-imposition of sanctions, which are necessary to protect national security." He described Iran's recourse to the International Court of Justice as an "abuse" of the court. Pompeo emphasized that the United States will "vigorously" defend itself against Iran's "unfounded claims." Mohsen Mohibi, head of the Legal Affairs Center of the Iranian Presidency, elaborated on Tehran's arguments in the first court session and accused the current U.S. government of intending to bring Iran to its knees with the harshest sanctions. Iran is asking the International Court of Justice, which is affiliated with the United Nations and based in The Hague, to rule to stop U.S. unilateral sanctions. President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on May 8 and reinstated suspended sanctions against Tehran in mid-August. Pompeo added, "President Trump exited the JCPOA for a simple reason: this agreement failed to ensure the safety of the American people against the threat posed by Iranian leaders." The nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers, including the U.S., Russia, China, France, and the UK, along with Germany, was signed in July 2015, under which Tehran agreed to halt many of its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions. Despite the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, European countries have stated that as long as Iran adheres to the agreement, they will not reinstate sanctions. The European Union has also promised to provide an economic package to preserve the JCPOA; however, this promise has not yet been realized after months. Following the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA and the reinstatement of its sanctions, Iran's economy has faced significant turmoil, with the dollar price rising to 12,000 tomans. The prices of various essential goods have also surged, leading to widespread protests in several Iranian cities at different times. Furthermore, major international companies and airlines have ceased their operations in Iran due to fears of U.S. sanctions, exacerbating economic crises in Iran. According to a Reuters report, the four-day process of Iran's lawsuit against the U.S. in The Hague has begun, with 16 Republican U.S. senators calling for Iran's expulsion from SWIFT, and three European airlines halting their flights to Iran. A U.S. State Department official stated that the goal of the sanctions is not to harm the Iranian people. Netanyahu remarked that the European aid of 18 million euros for the Iranian people is like poison. The U.S. stated that the European aid sends the wrong message. Efforts are underway to "reduce the impact of sanctions on ordinary people." The "great escape" of European companies from Iran continues, and the Iranian parliament has also dismissed Rouhani's Minister of Economy.