In a statement on Wednesday, the foreign ministry said the ICJ’s unanimous decision is another clear testament to the truthfulness of Iran and the illegitimacy and unfairness of the United States’ sanctions against our country’s people and citizens.
What follows is the full text of the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s statement:
In the Name of God
The Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes the decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as the only major judicial body of the UN and the tribunal’s issuing of an injunction against the US government’s illegal move to restore unilateral sanctions [against Iran] which came upon this country’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal (known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the JCPOA), and regards the court’s unanimous decision as another clear testament to the truthfulness of Iran and the illegitimacy and unfairness of the United States’ sanctions against our country’s people and citizens.
This global tribunal has reiterated that the verdict it has issued is binding and brings international obligations while announcing that the government of the United States is obliged, under its international commitments, to remove the obstacles created as a result of its actions and illegal decisions made upon its pullout from the JCPOA, including the impediments which have emerged on the path of Iran’s trade in certain domains.
In its ruling, the court has also obliged the United States to guarantee that it will give necessary permits for cases specified in the court order and will handle relevant payments and transactions. In the injunction, the International Court of Justice has also confirmed UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which approves the JCPOA.
The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Foreign Ministry sees eye to eye with the International Court of Justice with regards to its ruling, and the tribunal regards itself as having the preliminary jurisdiction to look into Iran’s lawsuit against the US and, hence, has foiled efforts by the US government and its lawyers to dismiss the court’s jurisdiction and shirk its legal responsibilities.
In its ruling, the tribunal has rejected the US government’s allegations and legal viewpoints, announcing straightforwardly that Iran’s demands are merely related to possible breaches of the agreement that Iran has mentioned, and that the [violation of] specific rights that the Islamic Republic of Iran has referred to in accordance with the agreement can have irreparable consequences.
As a result, and in light of the International Court of Justice’s reconfirmation of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s truthfulness and its confirmation that the US government’s approach is illegitimate and illegal, today the world public opinion and all independent countries have more assurance and are determined to show off their resolve to respect international agreements, observe international law and respect government’s responsibilities with regards to the preservation and implementation of the JCPOA.
The injunction issued by the International Court of Justice showed once again that it is the US government that is becoming more and more isolated due to its wrong and extremist policies and, as a result, excessive demands from other countries. Hence, the US should drop its wrong habit of, and inappropriate addiction to imposing unfair and illegal sanctions against people and citizens, and turn into a responsible member and an ordinary country of the international community. In this path, the international community and independent countries shoulder a heavier responsibility to foil the illegal attempts of this country, which has a long history of reneging on its commitments and non-compliance with its international obligations.
