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US rejection of ICJ ruling on Iran shows it does not respect rule of law: Analyst

The administration of US President Donald Trump has proven that it does not respect the rule of law by rejecting an international court ruling against American sanctions on Iran,  withdrawing from another international treaty with Iran, says an American scholar and political analyst.

The International Criminal Court (ICJ) ordered the United States on Wednesday to lift sanctions on medicine, food and civilian airplane spare parts for Iran.

The Hague-based court, which is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, announced its ruling regarding the July lawsuit brought by Tehran against Washington's decision to re-impose unilateral sanctions following the US exit from the 2015 nuclear deal.

“The United States is stating clearly that it does not believe in the rule of law,” said E. Michael Jones, a writer, former professor, media commentator and the current editor of the Culture Wars magazine.

“This is the direction that the Trump administration is taking now in its reckless disregard of the law,” Jones told Press TV on Wednesday.

The decisions of the ICJ – which rules on disputes between UN member states – are legally binding and cannot be appealed.

Iran’s lawsuit argued that the sanctions violate the terms of the 1955 Treaty of Amity between Iran and the US. It also called on the court to order Washington to immediately suspend the measures.

The treaty established economic relations and consular rights and was signed during the terms of former US President Dwight Eisenhower and former Iranian Prime Minister Hossein Ala.

Following the ICJ ruling against the American sanctions, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington is canceling Treaty of Amity.

“I’m announcing that the United States is terminating the 1955 Treaty of Amity with Iran, this is a decision that is 39 years overdue,” Pompeo told reporters Wednesday at the State Department.

“In July, Iran brought a meritless case in the International Court of Justice alleging violations of the Treaty of Amity,” Pompeo said.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the United States government has proven its reputation as an "outlaw regime" by quitting yet another international treaty out of spite for Iran.


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