A Tehran court has issued a verdict demanding the US government to pay nearly $50 billion in damages for the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. The drone strike, ordered by then-President Donald Trump near Baghdad airport in 2020, resulted in the death of Soleimani and his Iraqi lieutenant Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
The Mizan Online news agency reported that the Tehran court sentenced the US government to pay $49.7 billion in “material, moral, and punitive damages.”
The decision came as a response to a lawsuit filed by over 3,300 Iranians. Notably, 42 people and entities were found guilty, including Trump, the US government, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and former Defense Secretary Mark Esper, reported AFP.
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Soleimani’s role and retaliation
Soleimani, who commanded the Quds Force, Iran’s foreign operations arm, was a highly regarded figure known for leading the country’s Middle East operations and gaining hero status from the Iran-Iraq war.
Following his assassination, Iran retaliated by launching missiles at bases in Iraq housing American and coalition troops, resulting in traumatic brain injuries to several US personnel.
This isn’t the first time Iranian courts have ruled against the United States.
In the past, compensation orders included a $420 million payment for a 1980 hostage rescue operation and a $330 million demand related to an alleged coup attempt in 1980.
Additionally, the US Supreme Court, in 2016, ordered frozen Iranian assets in the US to be paid to victims of attacks blamed on Tehran, despite Iran denying responsibility.
Iran has consistently appealed to international justice to unfreeze funds held by Washington, and in March, the International Court of Justice deemed the freezing of funds “manifestly unreasonable.”
However, the court stated it lacked jurisdiction to release nearly $2 billion in Iranian central bank assets frozen by the US.
Iran and the US have had no diplomatic relations since the aftermath of the 1979 revolution.
(With inputs from agencies)
