Iran tells world court that US sanctions violate 1955 treaty

Iran on Monday asked the International Court of Justice, also known as the world court, to compel the U.S. to lift recently imposed sanctions, arguing that the penalties violate a decades-old treaty between the two countries.

Reuters reported that Iranian lawyers argued to judges with the United Nations-affiliated court that the U.S. is “plainly in violation of the 1955 Treaty of Amity,” which was agreed upon as part of an effort to emphasize “friendly relations” and “mutually beneficial trade and investments” between the two nations.

{mosads}“The U.S. is publicly propagating a policy intended to damage as severely as possible Iran’s economy and Iranian national companies, and therefore inevitably Iranian nationals,” Mohsen Mohebi, an attorney representing Iran, told the court.

The U.S. is scheduled to respond on Tuesday, though the State Department argued in a written statement that Iran’s complaint falls outside the bounds of the 1955 treaty and outside the world court’s jurisdiction, according to Reuters, which reported that a ruling is expected within a month.

Tensions between the U.S. and Iran spiked earlier this year when President Trump pulled the U.S. out of the 2015 Iran nuclear pact that had offered Tehran sanctions relief in exchange for curbing its nuclear program.

The U.S reimposed a first round of sanctions earlier this month, with more significant penalties slated to go into effect in November.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced last week the creation of an “Iran Action Group” to coordinate the State Department’s post-nuclear deal Iran policy.

Trump said at a press conference last month that he’s willing to meet with Iranian leaders without preconditions.

“It’s good for the country, good for them, good for us and good for the world,” Trump said. “No preconditions. If they want to meet, I’ll meet.”