The United States government, as well as a number of people and organizations, including former President Barack Obama, have been ordered by an Iranian court to make restitution for atrocities committed in 2017 by the terrorist organization ISIL (ISIS).
According to the judiciary’s official news website, the court in the capital handed down the decision on Wednesday after receiving complaints from the relatives of the three persons who died and six who were injured in Tehran during the attacks in June 2017.
Targets of the daytime attack, which resulted in the deaths of a total of 17, included the Iranian parliament building and the tomb of Ruhollah Khomeini, who founded the country’s present government.
In addition to $104 million for moral damages and $199 million for punitive damages, the court determined that $9.95 million must be paid to cover pecuniary damages, bringing the total award to little under $313 million.
The US government, Obama, former President George W. Bush, Central Command (CENTCOM), Tommy Franks, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Treasury Department, weapons maker Lockheed Martin, and American Airlines Group were all found guilty in the case.
The court made no mention of how the reparations decision would be implemented, and it is not thought that any of the identified businesses or people are in possession of any assets that are controlled by Iran and might be taken.
The website cited statements made by American officials about the “fundamental” role played by the US in “organising and guiding terrorist groups,” news and information released by US media, and books and speeches by US officials discussing “the CIA’s role in creating terrorist groups,” including ISIL, as reasons why the US is being held responsible for the attacks.
The judiciary also recognized that the decision was made in response to various decisions issued by US courts over the years that blamed Iran for “terrorist” attacks and mandated the payment of damages using assets that had been taken from Iran.
Iranian courts have also heard numerous lawsuits against the US government and its representatives, made rulings in those cases, and will do so going forward because this represents a breach of their immunity, the statement stated.
