Comments of Iran on the answer given by the United States to the question put by Judge Higgins

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CASE CONCERNING OIL PLATFORMS

(ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN V. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA)
PRELIMINARYOBJECTION

COMMENTS OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
ON THE U.S. RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION OF JUDGE HIGGINS

In its response to the question of Judge Higgins, the United

States asserts that, during the period in question, there were
"a series of inter-connected incidents • . . in which u. s. or

Iranian armed forces, or beth, took hostile action against
targets of the ether side", and that these are "undisputed

facts".

This assertion by the United States falsely represents
Iran's position. Iran has disputed the u.s. characterisation of

the incidents in question (including the alleged involvement of
Iranian forces in such incidents). Iran has also taken issue

with the u.s. claim that the attacks by u.s. armed forces on the
cil platforms were "inter-connected" with such incidents in a way

relevant to the issues before the Court at this stage of the
proceedings.

These points were made several times by Iran during the oral

hearings (see, CR 96/14, pp. 14-15, Mr. Zahedin-Labbaf; ibid.,
p. 23, Mr. Bundy; CR 96/17, pp. 20-22, Mr. Bundy; ibid., pp. 47--

48, Professer Crawford). _

I.t is Iran' s posi ti on that the facts concerning such
incidents and the legal relevance of their inter-connection, if

any, are matters for the merits.