“The ICJ just dismissed all US preliminary objections in the case brought by Iran over unlawful US sanctions,” said Mohammad Javad Zarif in a tweet.
“Another legal victory for Iran following 3 Oct. 2018 Order,” he added.
Zarif then called on the United States to deliver on international commitments.
“Iran has always fully respected int’l law. High time for the US to live up to int’l obligations,” he said.
In a statement on Wednesday, Saeed Khatibzadeh said legal proceedings will be launched into the case based on the ICJ ruling.
“Today at 3 pm the Hague local time, the International Court of Justice announced it has jurisdiction to look into the case on breaches of the 1955 Treaty of Friendship [Cooperation and Mutual Assistance],” he said.
“Based on conclusive evidence and documents as well as the documented statements of defence presented to the court by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s legal team in cooperation with the Centre for International Legal Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other lawyers and counsellors, the court rejected the initial objections by the US and announced it is competent to review the lawsuit filed against the US government,” Khatibzadeh said.
“Accordingly, substantive proceedings will be launched into the case,” he explained.
“With the issuance of this ruling (ICJ announcing it is competent to review the case), Iran secured its second legal success during the proceedings into the case,” he said.
“Its subject concerns the United States’ reimposition and tightening of inhumane sanctions against our country since May 8, 2018,” Khatibzadeh noted.
“Earlier on October 3, 2018, the ICJ issued an injunction in favour of Iran, obliging the US to remove whatever impediments caused by sanctions in the domains of medicine and medical equipment, foodstuffs and agricultural produce, and parts and services related to civil aviation safety,” he explained.
“However, in line with their ‘maximum pressure’ policy and economic war against the Iranian government and nation, the Americans have refused to abide by the ICJ’s verdict so far,” he said.
Khatibzadeh underscored that Iran has duly informed the International Court of Justice of the necessity of compliance with the injunction and Washington’s violation of it.
Now, he noted, with the court announcing its jurisdiction over the case, an opportunity has emerged for the court to also look into the United States’ refusal to abide by the injuction while the court is moving forward with substantive proceedings into the case.
“Although the ruling issued today pertains to the court’s competence to look into the case, it indicates Iran’s demands are rightful at this stage of the proceedings, and with this success, the final phase of proceedings, i.e., substantive proceedings will be launched into the case,” he said.
“Using international mechanisms is part of the policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s government and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to secure the rights of Iranian people on the international stage, which has always been on the agenda of this ministry,” he added.
Ansarian passed away on Wednesday at Farhikhtegan Hospital of Tehran after weeks of battling with the virus.
He started his footballing career in Fajr Sepasi in 1996 and joined Persepolis two years later.
Ansarian also represented the Iranian national football team from 1998 to 2007.
In the past few years, he had become an actor and two of his latest movies were to be screened at this year’s Fajr Film Festival, which is right now underway.
Last week, Mehrdad Minavand, a member of Iran’s national team in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, died of COVID-19 in Tehran.
Minavand was also a member of Persepolis football club.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran opposes any foreign interference in the internal affairs of Iraq and considers it to be to the detriment of the Iraqi people and the whole region,” President Rouhani said in a Wednesday meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein in Tehran.
“The cowardly assassination of Martyr Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was an example of the most shameful foreign intervention in Iraq’s internal affairs, which was carried out in the form of a state terrorist operation and targeted the heroes of the victory over ISIS,” he noted.
Rouhani welcomed the deepening of Tehran-Baghdad relations, and emphasised that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Iraq have strong commonalities which connect the two countries to such an extent that the results and fruits of this brotherly and strategic bond have gone beyond the two countries and ensures the security and stability of the whole region.
The Iranian president said, “Regarding their economic potential, Iran and Iraq can complement each other as two economies, and the volume of trade should reach $20 billion a year.”
Referring to the holding of a joint commission between the two countries, the President said, “By following up and implementing the agreements of this commission, an important step can be taken in the development of economic relations between the two countries.”
Referring to solving the problems of the Shalamcheh-Basra railway, Rouhani said, “We believe that this project is completely economic and commercial, and is diversifies the transportation routes between Iran and Iraq.”
The President also stressed that for Iran, supporting stability, security, independence, territorial integrity, as well as dignity and authority of Iraq, and promoting its regional and international status are of special priority.
“Cooperation of the two countries during the invasion of ISIS forces is a great example of strengthening bilateral relations to save the region from Takfiri terrorists.”
The President also stressed that Iran supports Iraq’s presence in regional interactions and believes that Iraq is an important party in the region’s political and security interactions.
Rouhani expressed hope that the new US administration would reach the conclusion that its presence in the region is detrimental to security and would reconsider this policy.
In turn, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein described the Iranian President’s visit to Iraq as historic and unforgettable, saying, “In addition to deepening bilateral relations, this visit creates more opportunities for cooperation and speeds up the implementation of agreements.”
The Iraqi Foreign Minister said, “According to various agreements reached by the officials of the two countries, interactions and relations in various economic and trade fields are being pursued, and Iraq seeks to expand and fully develop relations with Iran.”
The Iraqi Foreign Minister added, “The Iraqi people and government are always grateful for Iran’s support and cooperation in the fight against terrorism in Iraq, especially ISIS, and will never forget this.”
“Baghdad is persistently pursuing the withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq and this is being done through negotiations and actions that have been taken,” he noted.
In a Wednesday meeting in Tehran, Zarif praised the Iraqi government for following up the legal proceedings of the assassination of martyred commanders Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and expressed the hope that those who ordered and perpetrated these criminal acts would be punished for their criminal and damaging moves through judicial follow-ups.
He also noted that ending the presence of US forces in the region will be the best reaction to this act of terrorism.
The Iranian foreign minister expressed pleasure with the holding of a meeting of the Iran-Iraq Joint Economic Commission, and expressed hope that the agreements reached between the two sides during the recent visit of the Iranian president to Iraq in various bilateral fields including industrial towns, border markets, the travel of businessmen and pilgrims between the two countries, the transit of commodities as well as banking issues and unpaid debts would be dealt with as soon as possible.
Fuad Hussein, in turn, referred to the reciprocal visits of the Iranian and Iraqi delegations, and described it as a sign of the two neighbours’ attention to bilateral relations.
He also reviewed the issues in Iran-Iraq bilateral relations in different fields, and expressed the Iraqi side’s view on those topics.
The Iraqi foreign minister also underlined Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s special attention to the issue of following up and organizing the two countries’ relations.
Mahmoud Vaezi, the chief of staff of the President’s Office, noted Europe and the US have been engaged in some talks, too.
“In the past few weeks, the European countries have become more active compared to the past and they are having consultations with the Americans,” he said.
“Mr. Borrell, who is the coordinator for the JCPOA, … has become active as well. His deputy has held talks with Mr. Araqchi (Iran’s deputy foreign minister),” he added.
“They have become active and are working. Now that the new US administration has taken shape, it seems more activities are going on,” he said.
However, he stressed that there have been no contacts between Iran and the US.
“Except for whatever is announced publicly, we have had no bilateral contacts with the Americans,” he said.
President Hassan Rouhani said Washington should also comply with international obligations.
“The Americans should know that they have violated UN Security Council Resolution 2231 so far,” he said.
“It’s not a matter of the Iran nuclear deal. I’m telling the Americans that it is Resolution 2231 that is the issue. It is not a matter of Iran. It is a resolution unanimously approved by the UN Security Council,” the president noted.
President Rouhani reiterated if the US respects the law and fulfills its obligations, Iran will fully abide by its commitments, too.
He underlined there is no point saying that Iran should return to the nuclear deal as the country never left it.
The president also said no provision of the nuclear accord will change and no new member will join it, whatsoever.
Rouhani said it is widely believed in the world that the Iran deal can be beneficial for international security, peace and unity.
In 2018, the US unilaterally withdrew from the accord and reinstated sanctions on Iran.
Rouhani said sanctions were an opportunity for Iran as the country had to stand on its own feet and produce many products domestically.
Elsewhere in his remarks, President Rouhani touched upon the coronavirus pandemic in Iran.
In addition to sanctions, he said, the COVID-19 outbreak was yet another problem facing Iran.
However, he said, local firms managed to produce the equipment need to combat the virus.
Vice President for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari said a change of attitude by universities in the domain of science and technology has contributed positively to the nation’s economy.
“Last year, knowledge-based companies sold 120 trillion tomans’ worth of products. More than forty firms have also become active on the stock exchange,” he said.
“At the moment, 247 innovation centres, 1.400 innovative companies, 144 accelerators, more than 50 [sci-tech] parks, 6,000 start-ups and 5,700 knowledge-based companies have been established in the country,” said the vice president.
He added some one million square metres of space have been added to land used for innovation purposes.
“This space has been set aside to develop technology and innovation ecosystems in the country, which focus on making optimum use of expert and knowledgeable manpower in the country,” he added.
“Nine innovation factories have been established in the country or are becoming operational. From A to Z of all these factories has been bankrolled by the private sector’s investment,” he said.
The official underlined good progress has also been made in the domain of biotechnology.
“Start-up businesses have developed very well … This progress in more evident in the biotechnology sector than in any other,” he explained.
He added some 300,000 thousand direct jobs have been created in the country’s innovation ecosystem.
Ali-Akbar Salehi said peaceful atomic work is in line with the objectives of the human community.
“Moving on the path to achieving peaceful nuclear technology and enjoying the accomplishments, advantages and benefits of the nuclear industry are aimed at achieving human goals and creating welfare and comfort at the national level,” said the AEOI chief.
He said among the blessings of the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution of Iran and the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran have been to reach self-sufficiency, boost domestic capabilities and pushing back the frontiers of science and technology.
He said Iran takes pride in having made great progress on different scientific fronts, namely in the domains of quantum technology, laser, radiomedicines, nuclear agriculture, etc.
Salehi added a new chapter has opened in the development of the nation’s peaceful nuclear technology.
During the visit, Hussein is to hold talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.
He will also meet with Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
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