Iran drags Canada to UN's top court over terror listing

Canada has been dragged by Iran to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for allegedly breaching the state immunity of Tehran by designating it as a terrorism-sponsoring state, said the UN's top court on Wednesday.

The listing of the Islamic republic as a terror sponsor in 2012, when Canada had severed its diplomatic ties, shut down its Tehran embassy and asked the Iranian diplomats to leave the country, was challenged by Iran.

Iran has accused Canada of “alleged violations of its immunities” through a series of diplomatic, political and legal measures which came after the 2012 terror listing, said the Hague-based tribunal in a statement.

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In its case, which the International Court of Justice announced on Wednesday, Tehran argued that Canada is “obliged to respect the jurisdictional immunity which Iran enjoys under international law" and should not permit civil claims against Iran "for alleged support to, or acts of, terrorism”.

Breach of international law, alleges Iran

Iran stated international law has been breached by Canada by court rulings which asked Iranian assets to be given over to victims of attacks, which were blamed on Tehran-sponsored groups.

In a statement, the Hague-based ICJ said that the legal proceedings were launched by Iran against Canada on Tuesday "concerning alleged violations of its immunities" as a sovereign state.

"Canada has adopted and implemented a series of legislative, executive, and judicial measures against Iran and its property in breach of its international obligations," Iran stated in its filing to the court.

Compensation demanded

Compensation has been demanded by Iran from Canada for the "violation of its international obligations", and the ICJ has been asked to ask Ottawa to overrule all judgments against Tehran in Canadian courts.

"Iran respectfully requests the Court to adjudge and declare that by failing to respect the immunities of Iran and its property, Canada has violated its international obligations toward Iran," the country added.

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Canada did not react immediately to the case filed by Iran. The case filed is similar to the long-running claim of Iran at the ICJ against the United States for freezing billions of dollars in assets to compensate for the terror attacks.

A Canadian judge in 2016 had ordered the non-diplomatic land and bank accounts of Iran in Canada to be given to victims of attacks carried out by Hamas and Hezbollah.

As per reports, $13 million was awarded, as per the judgement, to the families of Americans who were killed in eight bombings or hostage-takings in Buenos Aires, Israel, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia from 1983 to 2002.

(With inputs from agencies)

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