Rohani: Judiciary Should Prosecute U.S. Officials and Sanction Designers for Crimes Against Humanity

The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran has requested the judiciary to prosecute U.S. officials and the 'designers' and 'supporters' of sanctions against Iran for 'crimes against humanity' both 'inside and outside Iran.' Hassan Rouhani also stated that Iran would subsequently present this request to the 'International Court.' Speaking at a provincial administrative council in Bushehr on Sunday, March 17, he added, 'We must first file this complaint in our own judiciary that the U.S. ... and those who assist it are committing crimes against humanity and must be tried, and then we will seek it from an international court.' Mr. Rouhani did not specify how Iran plans to pursue this matter in an 'international court.' Previously, some experts had indicated that legal actions against officials of other countries in Iran could only have a symbolic aspect. In his remarks, Rouhani emphasized that preventing 'food, medicine, and agricultural inputs from reaching the people is a crime against the health of the nation and the environment.' Brian Hook, the U.S. Special Representative for Iran, had previously stated in a video addressed to the Iranian people that the aim of U.S. sanctions is solely to 'change the destructive behavior' of the Islamic Republic and that these sanctions do not target humanitarian transactions such as medicine and food. Food and medicine are not subject to U.S. sanctions; however, the resumption of the second wave of Washington's sanctions, primarily targeting the oil, shipping, and banking industries, has led many international banks to refrain from engaging in transactions with Iran, even regarding food products. On the same Sunday, Rouhani also stated that the U.S. has 'violated' the International Court of Justice's ruling regarding sanctions on Iran. On October 2, the International Court of Justice issued a temporary ruling stating that the United States must ensure that its unilateral sanctions against the Islamic Republic do not negatively impact essential goods or the safety of passenger flights. The Iranian government website reported in December that Mohsen Mohibi, the Islamic Republic's representative at the International Court of Justice, had informed the U.S. representative in a letter that essential goods are 'in practice' not exempt from sanctions. The U.S. has protested the ruling of the International Court of Justice and insists that the Hague Court lacks the necessary jurisdiction to handle this case. According to experts, reaching a final decision on this matter could take several years. The Hague's preliminary ruling is binding for countries, but this court lacks the tools to enforce its decisions. If countries do not comply with the court's ruling, the claiming country can refer to the United Nations Security Council, a council in which the U.S. itself has veto power.