The court named US entities and officials — including former Presidents Barack Obama and George W Bush — as it insisted they played a key role in creating and directing ISIL.
Tehran, Iran – An Iranian court has ruled that the U.S. government and individuals and entities, including former President Barack Obama, must pay compensation for attacks by the militant group ISIL in 2017.
The capital’s court delivered its verdict on Wednesday based on complaints from the families of three people killed and six injured in the June 2017 Tehran attack, the judiciary’s official news website reported.
Iran’s parliament building and the mausoleum of Iran’s current regime founder, Ruhollah Khomeini, were targeted during daytime attacks, killing a total of 17 people.
The court awarded $9.95 million in economic damages, $104 million in moral damages and $199 million in punitive damages, for a total of nearly $313 million.
Those convicted in the case include the U.S. government, Barack Obama, former President George W. Bush, Central Command (CENTCOM) and its former commander Tommy Franks, the CIA, the Treasury Department, weapons maker Roxy De Martin Corporation and American Airlines Group.
None of the named entities or individuals are believed to hold any assets under Iranian control that could be confiscated, and the court did not say how the compensation order would be enforced.
As for why the United States was blamed for the attack, the website cited comments by U.S. officials about the “fundamental” role of the U.S. in “organizing and directing terrorist organizations,” news and information published by U.S. media, as well as books and speeches. It’s up to US officials to discuss the “CIA’s role in creating terrorist groups,” including ISIL.
The judiciary also acknowledged that the ruling was in response to multiple orders of US courts over the years accusing Iran of “terrorist” attacks and ordered compensation to be paid out of seized Iranian assets.
“Since this marks a violation of the immunity of the Iranian government, Iranian courts have also judged and issued legal judgments in various cases against the US government and officials, and will continue to do so,” it said.
