[Published: Wednesday August 29 2018]
 US rejects UN court jurisdiction over Iran sanctions
THE HAGUE, Netherlands 29 Aug (ANA) - The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague "lacks prima facie jurisdiction to hear Iran's claims", US State Department lawyer Jennifer Newstead argued on Tuesday.
During the first hearing of the case on Monday, Iran argued that US President Donald Trump breached a 1955 treaty with his decision to reimpose sanctions after withdrawing from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
Newstead said the US has the right to protect its national security and other interests.
She said the treaty "cannot, therefore, provide a basis for this court's jurisdiction" in the case.
Sanctions on Iran were lifted under the 2015 accord with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany and the European Union. In return, Tehran committed not to develop nuclear weapons.
However, Trump said the deal did not do enough to curb the alleged threat from Iran. He pulled the US out of the accord in May and began reimposing sanctions earlier this month.
"This case is entirely about an attempt to compel the US by order of this court to resume" the 2015 nuclear deal, Newstead said.
On Monday, Iran's lawyers said the sanctions were threatening the welfare of its citizens and disrupting tens of billions of dollars worth of business deals.(ANA)
FA/ANA/29 August 2018------
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