An Iranian court has ordered the US government and nine individuals and entities, including former Presidents Barack Obama and George Bush, to pay $313 million in compensation for the 2017 attacks carried out by the Islamic State militant group. The verdict was issued on Wednesday based on complaints from the families of three people killed and six injured during the June 2017 attacks in Tehran.
The court found the US government, former presidents Obama and Bush, Central Command and its former commander Tommy Franks, the CIA, the Treasury Department, arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin, and American Airlines guilty and ordered them to pay a total of $313 million. The court ordered $9.95 million to be paid in compensation for financial damages, $104 million in moral damages, and $199 million in punitive damages.
On June 7, 2017, four gunmen disguised as women entered the Iranian parliament and opened fire on the security guards, while gunmen separately attacked the shrine of Imam Khomeini and opened fire on people inside the compound. The attacks resulted in the deaths of at least 17 people and nearly 50 injuries.
The terrorist organization ISIS later claimed responsibility for the attacks. The Iranian court has held the US responsible for the attacks, claiming that the US government and other entities provided direct and indirect support to the terrorist group, which led to the attacks. The verdict has been criticized by the US State Department, which has called it a "political stunt." The State Department has also denied any involvement in the attacks and stated that the US government will not pay any compensation.
