The international Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered the United States to lift sanctions against Iran. It may affect the imports of humanitarian goods, products and services linked to the safety of civil aviation. According to ICJ, Washington “shall remove by means of its choosing any impediments arising from the measures announced on May 8 to the free exportation to Iran of medicines and medical devices, food and agricultural commodities” as well as airplane parts, as these goods are “required for humanitarian needs.”

US President Donald Trump decided to restore US's sanctions on Iran in May after announcing his decision of withdrawal from the JCPOA, or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action signed in 2015. The international society think that the sanctions re-imposed by Washington breach the principle of international law and ask the US to suspend the sanctions until the ICJ's verdict in July.

For Washington, Iran's threat in Middle East continues through its expansion in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq. Donald Trump attacked the Iranian leadership at the UN General Assembly last month and called for a global isolation to Iran. Trump administration believes that the JCOPA signed in Obama era is not able to limit Iran's regional expansion and its capability to develop and research nuclear technologies. Thus, it is not likely for Washington to suspend the sanctions that will be fully implemented in November.

The major divergence between Iran and US on the ICJ was the validity of the Treaty of Amity signed between two countries in 1955. Iran believes that the treaty,  encouraging mutual trade and investment is still valid, while US believes that the 1979 Islamic revolution has altered the political landscape in Iran and the treaty should be abolished automatically.

For Iran, Washington's sanctions have caused serious economic recession, because it strikes at the very heart of Iran's oil export. In addition, it makes Iran vulnerable to lose tens of billions of dollars' worth of investment. Several international companies, such as Total, Siemens and Shell, have been banned from their business in Iran, and Iran's national currency also has lost half of its value during the past few months. However, Iran has received important support from China, Russia and EU, and these states are working closely to set out a plan to sidestep unilateral US sanctions. The US has been getting isolated in the Iran nuclear issue.

For the US, ICJ's judgement may not affect its decision, as Washington did it before. The US State Department Attorney Jennifer Newstead maintained that the US has the rights to withdraw from the JCPOA “in recognition of the threat that Iran's behavior continues to pose to the national security, foreign policy and the economy to the US.” However, ICJ's judgment represents international justice and consensus that may question Washington's own self-examination.

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