IRAN AND ITS ENCOUNTERS WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

Iran has been an active middle power that has engaged with the International Court of Justice in cases involving Iran's adversaries at critical points in its history. This engagement has spanned a period of almost 70 years and encompassed Iran's 1953 coup d'etat, the 1978 Iranian Revolution, the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War and current issues involving Iran's nuclear capabilities. This study draws on the Anglo-Iranian Oil Co case, the United States Diplomatic and Consular Staff in Tehran case, the Oil Platforms case and the current cases (Certain Iranian Assets, and Alleged Violations of the 1955 Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations, and Consular Rights) to consider the Court's role in the peaceful resolution of these disputes involving Iran. The study considers the lessons from Iran's experiences in discerning why states turn to an international court for the resolution of their disputes.