Iranian court orders US gov’t to pay $49.77 billion for Gen Soleimani assassination

The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Judiciary ordered the US government and 41 individuals and businesses to pay a sum of $49.77 billion for their roles in the assassination of revered military commander Lt. General Qassem Soleimani.

After a thorough examination prompted by the complaints of 3,318 Iranian citizens, Tehran’s Public Court diligently reviewed the case seeking financial, moral, and punitive damages linked to the assassination of General Soleimani, culminating after three public hearings, Tasnim news agency reports.

The US Department of Defense, Donald Trump, Mike Pompeo, the National Security Agency, the CIA, and many other members of the US government and defense-related businesses were among the 42 people and organizations that the court found responsible for General Soleimani's assassination.

The court ordered the defendants to pay $49.77 billion in total—that is, $16.59 billion for each defendant—to make up for the moral and monetary losses brought about by the assassination.

Additionally, the defendants were ordered to pay double the damages, totaling $33.18 billion, to deter future violations and ensure accountability for their actions. This equates to 16,523,660 billion Iranian Rials for each plaintiff in the case.

In addition to the financial penalties, the court ordered the defendants, including the US government, to issue an official apology to the plaintiffs and have it published in a widely published newspaper. The ruling, which was issued in absentia, allows for an appeal within two months.

This historic decision marks a watershed moment in international legal proceedings, emphasizing the pursuit of justice for General Soleimani's assassination and emphasizing accountability for state actions that violate human rights.

On January 3, 2020, the United States assassinated General Soleimani, the former commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)'s Quds Force, as well as Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis, deputy commander of Iraq's anti-terror Popular Mobilization Units, and their companions, in a drone strike near Baghdad International Airport.