Victims of Middle Eastern Attacks Sue U.S. Government Following Nuclear Agreement

A group of American citizens who previously obtained a ruling to receive compensation from Iran due to the country's support for attacks by militia groups in the Middle East have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government to prevent the lifting of sanctions against Tehran that resulted from the nuclear agreement. According to Reuters, the lawsuit filed in federal court in New York states that lifting sanctions related to Iranian assets would take away the 'last opportunity to pressure Iran to comply with the ruling' from the victims of attacks in Israel and Gaza. The plaintiffs, who have not yet received any money from their previous claims, include survivors and victims of attacks between 1995 and 2006 carried out by groups such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Iran is considered a supporter of both groups, although relations between Tehran and Hamas have fluctuated due to the Syrian civil war and other issues. Tehran denies involvement in operations carried out by these groups. Over the past years, various lawsuits have been filed in the U.S. against Iran for compensation. These efforts have sometimes aimed to obtain compensation from Iran's frozen assets and sometimes through penalties related to circumventing sanctions against Tehran. Among these is a ruling to pay $1.75 million in compensation to the survivors and victims of suicide attacks during the Lebanese civil war in Beirut. The U.S. Senate also pursued a plan last spring to compensate American diplomats held hostage during the attack by a group known as 'Students Following the Line of Imam' on the U.S. embassy in 1979 from the penalties imposed on violators of Iran's sanctions. The White House has not yet responded to the new lawsuit. The nuclear agreement between Tehran and six world powers was reached on July 14 in Vienna. Following this agreement, Iran will impose restrictions on its nuclear program. At the same time, it will gain access to its frozen assets related to nuclear sanctions as sanctions are lifted. However, this agreement has opponents in the United States, including Republican representatives in Congress, who hold a majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Congress has until September 17 to review the agreement and announce its vote. A 'no' vote on the agreement could face a veto from the U.S. President; if representatives cannot gather two-thirds of the votes for it, this veto will prevent their opposition. In this context, a U.S. court ruling on the non-seizure of Iranian internet domains has sought the Obama administration's opinion on receiving compensation from Iran. The Senate is also pursuing compensation for the hostages of the U.S. embassy in Iran.