INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
Peace Palace, Carnegieplein 2, 2517 KJ The Hague, Netherlands
Tel.: +31 (0)70 302 2323 Fax: +31 (0)70 364 9928
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Press Release
Unofficial
No. 2023/34
28 June 2023
The Islamic Republic of Iran institutes proceedings against Canada
THE HAGUE, 28 June 2023. Yesterday, the Islamic Republic of Iran filed an application instituting proceedings against Canada before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, concerning alleged violations of its immunities.
In its Application, Iran contends that “Canada has adopted and implemented a series of legislative, executive, and judicial measures against Iran and its property [since 2012] in breach of its international obligations”. According to Iran, these measures “have abrogated the immunities to which Iran is entitled, both with respect to jurisdictional immunity and immunity from measures of constraint”.
Iran argues that, “as a sovereign State, [it] is entitled to sovereign immunities from jurisdiction and from enforcement under customary international law”, and it requests the Court to adjudge and declare that “by failing to respect the immunities of Iran and its property, Canada has violated its international obligations towards Iran”.
Iran seeks to found the Court’s jurisdiction on Article 36, paragraph 2, and Article 40, paragraph 1, of the Statute of the Court and on Article 38 of the Rules of Court. It states that both Iran and Canada have accepted the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court, on 26 June 2023 and 10 May 1994, respectively.
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The Application instituting proceedings is available on the Court’s website.
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Note: The Court’s press releases are prepared by its Registry for information purposes only and do not constitute official documents.
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The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It was established by the United Nations Charter in June 1945 and began its activities in April 1946. The Court is composed of 15 judges elected for a nine-year term by the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations. The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands). The Court has a twofold role: first, to settle, in accordance with international law, through judgments which have binding force and are without appeal for the parties concerned, legal disputes submitted to it by States; and, second, to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by duly authorized United Nations organs and agencies of the system.
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Information Department:
Ms Monique Legerman, First Secretary of the Court, Head of Department: +31 (0)70 302 2336 Ms Joanne Moore, Information Officer: +31 (0)70 302 2337 Mr Avo Sevag Garabet, Associate Information Officer: +31 (0)70 302 2394 Email: [email protected]
The Islamic Republic of Iran institutes proceedings against Canada