After ICJ shoots down Iran’s bid to free funds, Tehran says court backed its case

International Court of Justice finds it has no jurisdiction in affair, but says Washington ‘violated’ rights of some Iranians, firms, who were barred from their assets

By AFP 30 March 2023, 9:07 pm Edit

Iran's agent Tavakol Habibzadeh, center, and delegation members wait for judges to enter the International Court of Justice, the United Nations' top court, which issued its judgment in a dispute between Iran and the United States over frozen Iranian state bank accounts worth some $2 billion, in The Hague, Netherlands, March 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

TEHRAN — Iran on Thursday said the International Court of Justice had demonstrated in a ruling the legitimacy of its claim to release frozen funds and the “illegal” behavior of the United States.

“The verdict of the International Court of Justice handed down on March 30 shows once again the legitimacy” of Iran’s positions “and the illegal behavior of the United States,” Tehran’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The Hague-based court earlier Thursday rejected Iran’s bid to unblock nearly $2 billion in central bank assets frozen by the United States.

While the court based in The Hague ruled it had no jurisdiction over the bank funds, it found that Washington had “violated” the rights of some Iranians and companies whose assets were also frozen.

“In its decision, the court confirmed the violation of obligations by the American government” and “has established the liability of the American government,” Tehran said.

It added the verdict was an “important decision” that “correctly rejected all the false defenses of the United States” while “acknowledging that Iran was right.”