Iran Court Orders US to Pay $22B Over 2022 Unrest

Iran’s Judiciary announced on Tuesday that a Tehran civil court has issued a sweeping ruling, ordering the US government, senior American officials, and affiliated institutions and individuals to pay over $22 billion in damages for Washington's support of the 2022 unrest in Iran.

Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir said an Iranian court issued the ruling after extensive hearings on a lawsuit filed by 607 families of those identified by Iran as martyrs and injured victims of the 2022 disturbances, The Caspian Post reports citing Iranian media.

The plaintiffs demanded material, moral and punitive damages.

According to the verdict, the court found that deliberate US financial, material and moral support for “rioters” constituted a violation of Iranian sovereignty and international law.

The ruling referenced multiple domestic statutes, including Iran’s civil code, counter-terrorism and counter-sanctions laws, and legislation authorizing Iranian courts to hear civil claims against foreign governments.

The court ordered compensation across several categories, including billions in material and moral damages for families of the deceased, payments for 25 individuals with serious injuries, and punitive damages exceeding $30 billion. The ruling also includes interest until full enforcement, as well as all legal costs.