WASHINGTON — The United States is canceling a 1955 treaty with Iran establishing economic relations and consular rights between the two nations, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Wednesday.
The move follows a ruling by the top United Nations court ordering the U.S. to lift sanctions on the Middle Eastern country that affect imports of humanitarian goods.
READ HERE: summary of the #ICJ Order on the Request for the indication of provisional measures submitted by Iran in the case of the Treaty of Amity (#Iran v. #UnitedStates) https://t.co/7QjR2u1MRA pic.twitter.com/p6chAojJfY
— CIJ_ICJ (@CIJ_ICJ) October 3, 2018
Iran filed a complaint with the ICJ in July after Donald Trump’s decision in May to quit the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Tehran says the sanctions violated the Treaty of Amity, which was signed during the terms of former U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower and former Iranian Prime Minister Hossein Ala..
“We ought to have pulled out of it decades ago,” Pompeo told reporters, calling it “39 years overdue” in a reference to the 1979 revolution in Iran. “Today marked a useful point with the decision that was made this morning from the ICJ. This marked a useful point for us to demonstrate the absolute absurdity of the Treaty of Amity between the United States and the Islamic Republic.”
He said that Iran was abusing the International Court of Justice for political and propaganda purposes.
#UNGA proudly showcased what the U.S. is all about — from embracing independence and cooperation over global governance to shoring up support for our diplomatic efforts on #NorthKorea, #Iran, and more. Thanks to all who made it happen. @StateDept @USUN @WhiteHouse pic.twitter.com/orXiQ4HbqD
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) October 2, 2018
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the United States government has proven its reputation as an “outlaw regime” by quitting yet another international treaty out of spite for Iran.
JZarif: US abrogated JCPOA -a multilateral accord enshrined in UNSC Resolution 2231- arguing that it seeks a bilateral treaty with #Iran. Today US withdrew from an actual US-Iran treaty after the ICJ ordered it to stop violating that treaty in sanctionin… https://t.co/DBtoTwMgzB
— IranMFA (@iranmfa) October 3, 2018
The ICJ’s rulings are legally binding and non-appealable.
