Following on our classic video clip by the band War, on the 3rd of October a ruling was handed down by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding a little-known treaty that had existed between the US and Iran since 1957. The ruling stated that the US was in violation of the Treaty of Amity, with US sanctions on Iran after having pulled out of the JCPOA (the Iran nuclear deal). The ruling further stated that the sanctions related to foodstuffs, medicines and spare parts for civil aviation had to be rescinded and normal relations restored, citing that the actions of the Trump administration were damaging the humanitarian security of the Iranian state. The Americans had argued that the court had no jurisdiction in the matter. The ICJ is the primary judicial arm of the UN, to which the US is a signatory. The ruling, which is equivalent to an injunction, will take about a year for a full ruling, but it was unanimous and was a win for Iran. The American response was immediate and predictable, given the current climate in Washington. The Trump administration rejected the ruling out of hand and decided it would tear up the treaty, further adding that it would be examining all such agreements as a result. Continue reading “Why can’t we be friends (with Iran)?”
Why can’t we be friends (with Iran)?
