Iranian court orders US to pay compensation for backing 'terrorist groups'

Tehran, Nov 17 : An Iranian court ruled that the US must pay $48.86 billion in compensation to the families of Iranians who were killed while battling "US-backed terrorist groups" in Iraq and Syria.

Judge Majid Hosseinzadeh issued the ruling on Saturday after two sessions of hearing the complaints filed by 700 members of the slain individuals' families against the US government for its "conspicuous support for terrorist and Takfiri (extremist) groups" at the 55th branch of the Tehran Court of Justice, Xinhua reported quoting the semi-official Fars news agency.

"The plaintiffs have suffered significant material and mental damages and been under great emotional pressures due to the deaths of their loved ones" as a consequence of "the terrorist crimes perpetrated by the scaremongering groups supported by the United States," said the ruling.

The court identified the terrorist groups as "the Islamic State and Al-Nusra Front," saying, "They could not perpetrate such crimes in the absence of US cooperation and support."

Under the ruling, the US was ordered to pay $10 million to each plaintiff, a total of $6.98 billion, in compensation for the material damages inflicted on them, and $20 million to each, a total of $13.96 billion, in compensation for their suffered mental damages, the local media reported.

The court also ruled that the US should pay $27.92 billion in punitive damages.

According to local media, the ruling could be appealed against within two months.

Iran has been sending military personnel to Iraq and Syria over the past years to help their governments fight against "terrorist groups."