The United Nations’ top court has issued an interim order that requests the United States to lift sanctions linked to humanitarian goods and civil aviation imposed against Iran – a move welcomed by Tehran.
“On humanitarian grounds, the US must remove by means of its choosing any impediment to the free exportation to Iran of goods involving humanitarian concerns,” the International Court of Justice (ICJ) said in its ruling on Wednesday.
The ICJ’s rulings are binding, but it has no power to enforce them.
“The decision proved once again that the Islamic Republic is right and the US sanctions against people and citizens of our country are illegal and cruel,” Iran’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
Tehran had urged the ICJ, also known as the World Court, to order Washington to suspend the sanctions temporarily while it hears Iran’s case in full, a process that could take years.
The ICJ decision is not exactly what the Iranians wanted, nor is it what the Americans wanted.
Iranians would have wanted a “complete lifting of all of the sanctions”, Basravi said.
“They [ICJ judges] talked about parts and equipment for civil aviation – which has been a source of a lot of strife in Iran,” he said.
“Even though this court’s rulings cannot be appealed and they are binding, there is no way to enforce it – especially that the US has left the court,” Basravi said.