The United States Condemns the International Court of Justice Ruling in Favor of Iran

On Wednesday, October 3, the United States objected to the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague in favor of Iran, deeming the court incompetent to adjudicate the matter. In its preliminary ruling, the ICJ emphasized that U.S. unilateral sanctions against Tehran must be limited so that they do not affect the safety of Iranian passenger flights and the free trade of essential goods such as medicine, medical equipment, agricultural products, and food. This ruling, however, immediately provoked a reaction from Pete Hoekstra, the U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands, who tweeted that 'this complaint is unfounded and the court [in The Hague] lacks the necessary jurisdiction to examine it.' Hoekstra further stated that the ICJ did not even acknowledge Iran's request to lift all sanctions, and its ruling only pertains to very limited cases. The U.S. had previously indicated in court sessions that the ICJ does not have the authority to lift Washington's sanctions against Tehran, as the United States imposed these sanctions for its national security. Iran, however, claims that Donald Trump, the U.S. President, violated the Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations and Consular Rights between Iran and the U.S. from 1955 by withdrawing from the nuclear agreement and resuming sanctions against Tehran. This treaty states that if there is a dispute between the parties and it cannot be satisfactorily resolved through diplomacy, it will be referred to the International Court of Justice. The U.S. insists that the nuclear agreement has 'its own specific political mechanism for resolving disputes,' and thus, by bringing this matter to The Hague, Iran has 'abused' the International Court of Justice. The second round of U.S. sanctions against Iran will begin on November 4, targeting Iran's oil industry and is considered to be more severe than the initial sanctions. The ruling issued by the ICJ on Wednesday is a preliminary one, and according to experts, reaching a final decision on this matter may take longer. ICJ rulings are binding, and appeals are not possible; however, the court lacks tools to enforce its decisions.