The Supreme Court of the United States rejected the National Bank of Iran's appeal against a lower court ruling, which allows victims of attacks allegedly backed by Iran to claim millions of dollars in compensation from the bank. According to Reuters, the Supreme Court justices on Monday, March 5, upheld a lower court ruling that permits some plaintiffs to withdraw approximately $17.6 million from funds owed to the National Bank of Iran by Visa and Franklin Resources related to credit card use in Iran. The plaintiffs in this case are attempting to recover part of a $1 billion compensation that U.S. judges have ruled can be claimed from Iran. This is the second time in two weeks that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled on Iran's lawsuits against U.S. court judgments, which have been issued following complaints from victims of attacks that accuse Iran of involvement. The first of these rulings was issued on Wednesday, where the Supreme Court ruled that Americans injured in the 1997 bombing in Jerusalem, who claim Iran's involvement in the attack, cannot seize ancient Iranian artifacts in the University of Chicago museum to cover their $71.5 million damages. U.S. federal laws largely protect foreign governments from U.S. courts, but countries like Iran, which the U.S. considers a state sponsor of terrorism, are not covered by these laws. The ruling on Monday pertains to the claims of about 90 individuals against the Islamic Republic in four cases, where the court ultimately ruled in their favor to recover about $1 billion from Iran. The plaintiffs in these cases include victims or family members of victims of attacks that occurred between 1990 and 2002, for which Iran is accused of involvement. In its appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, the National Bank of Iran argued that the $17.6 million, which has been blocked due to U.S. sanctions against Iran, is not subject to seizure because the bank is not the rightful owner; rather, Visa and Franklin are obligated to pay it.
U.S. Supreme Court Rejects National Bank of Iran's Appeal
The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld a ruling allowing victims of attacks linked to Iran to claim $17.6 million from the National Bank of Iran. This decision is part of a broader effort to hold Iran accountable for alleged terrorist activities. The ruling highlights ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran regarding terrorism and compensation claims.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected the National Bank of Iran's appeal, allowing victims of attacks allegedly backed by Iran to claim $17.6 million from the bank. This decision is part of broader legal actions to hold Iran accountable for alleged terrorist activities.
- The Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling allowing plaintiffs to withdraw $17.6 million from funds owed to the National Bank of Iran.
- The case is part of efforts to claim $1 billion from Iran for attacks it is accused of backing.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The U.S. has long accused Iran of supporting terrorism, leading to numerous legal and financial sanctions. These cases are part of broader efforts to hold Iran accountable and compensate victims.
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