Iran hopes to recover before the ICJ two billion dollars of assets frozen in the United States

The International Court of Justice in The Hague in the Netherlands (illustration image).

AP - Peter Dejong

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

Iran and the United States are side by side before the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Iran filed a complaint in 2016 for violation of a friendship treaty between the two countries dating from 1955. Tehran hopes to recover nearly two billion dollars in assets frozen in the United States. 

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With our correspondent in The Hague,

The International Court of Justice is holding the first hearings on the merits of the case this week, as hopes are dwindling on the Western side about the chances of reinstating a 2015 Iranian nuclear deal.

Iran opened the pleadings by accusing the United States of having created "

", recalling that, for 30 years, many proceedings have been initiated against Iranian companies, including many public banks.

In total, two billion dollars of assets would have been frozen in the United States by decision of American courts, to pay damages to victims of terrorism.

Among them, the relatives of the 241 American soldiers killed in 1983 during a suicide attack in Lebanon.

Tehran believes that the targeted Iranian companies have nothing to do with the charges and that Washington's practices are illegal, as argued by Iran's representative, Tavakol Habibzadeh.

"

,” he said.

These pleadings take place while negotiations on the resumption of the Iranian nuclear agreement are at an impasse.

on the country's economy.

Emphasizing the importance of recovering frozen assets.

The United States will in turn plead on Wednesday before the judges of the Court.

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