American Foreign Immunities Act and Iran

In ۱۹۹۶, the United States of America rectified the Foreign States Immunities Act (ratified in ۱۹۷۶). According to this law, Americans injured in terrorist attacks anywhere in the world, or their survivors, can sue the state sponsors of terrorist actions in U.S courts. The U.S Department of State determines what countries are state sponsors of terrorism. The Islamic Republic of Iran has been on the U.S.’s list of state sponsors of terrorism since ۱۹۸۴, and in recent years, many lawsuits have been filed against Iran in American courts. These courts, contrary to the basics of international law, have so far ruled against Iran in expanse of tens of billions of dollars. So what can Iran do against this law? What has been done so far is that Iran has chosen not to partake in these proceedings so that it would not condone the violation of the sovereignty of other countries. It is now known, that contrary to what is said in the media, the rulings in the United States against Iran have greatly surpassed two billion dollars, and any move by Iran to confront this law has so far had little effect in practice. However, diplomatic talks, bringing the issue forward in the UN General Assembly or in the International Court of Justice, are among the number of politico-legislative moves Iran can attempt to confront this law.