1/21/2006:
The Carter Era executive
orders unfreezing Iran's assets
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Established as part of the Algiers Accords that ended the 1979-1981 hostage crisis, the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal in The Hague (Netherlands) adjudicates claims by U.S. citizens and corporations against the government of Iran for property seized during the revolution or contracts that went unfulfilled.
It has also been the locus for high-stakes political wrangling, as Iran has demanded $10 billion in damages from the U.S. for not seeking to identify U.S. assets belonging to the former Shah, and in 1996 filed suit for damages for an alleged U.S. covert action plan to overthrow the Tehran regime.
Kenneth R. Timmerman's story on the Tribunal, written as part of a study funded by the Western Journal Center project, was published by Worldnetdaily.com on Oct. 4, 2000 and provides a useful overview of the issues involved.
This page takes readers off this site so they can access original documents and come to their own conclusions. Readers knowing of other sites where case information is available on-line are invited to send our webmaster an e-mail with the url so we can include it as we update this site.
The Pacific Arbitration Network has made available on-line excerpts from an 1160 page legal study of the tribunal.
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1/21/2006:
The Carter Era executive
orders unfreezing Iran's assets
Official
U.S. Government Documents
Executive
Branch Reports
relating to the Iran.-U.S. Claims Tribunal
6/21/2000: President's Report on National Emegency Re Iran (NB: Report not released)
11/16/99: President's Report on National Emergency Re Iran (NB: Report not released)
5/26/99:President's Report on National Emergency Re Iran (NB: Report not released)
11/16/98: Text of a Letter on Iran
5/13/98: Transmittal to Congress to Report on Iran
11/26/97: Transmittal to Congress on Iran
5/14/97: Report on Activities Re Iran
11/14/96: President Letter on National Emergency with Iran
5/16/96: Report on National Emergency with Respect to Iran
11/28/95: President's Report to Congress on Iranian Sanctions
9/25/2000: Cover Letter for periodic report on National Emergency Re Iran (The full text of report appeared in the Congressional Record)
3/14/2000: President signs Iran Nonproliferation Act of 2000
3/13/2000: Extension of National Emergency Re Iran
3/10/99: Extension of National Emergency Re Iran
9/16/98: Transmittal to Congress on Iran
3/16/98: Transmittal to Congress on National Emergency and Iran
9/17/97: Transmittal to Congress on National Emergency with Iran
8/19/97: Executive Order 13059 on Transactions with Iran
9/13/96: President Report on Implementing Iran Sanctions
3/11/96: Report to Congress on Continuing Emergency Re Iran
9/18/95: President Letter on Restriction on Trade with Iran
5/6/95: Executive Order 12959 on Iran Trade Ban
3/15/95: Executive Order 12957 Barring Iranian Petroleum Development
The
Carter-era Executive Orders ending the freeze on Iranian government
assets
President Carter issued a series of Executive Orders on Jan. 19, 1981 that unfroze Iranian government assets in exchange for the release of the 52 U.S. diplomats held hostage in Iran.
Executive Order 12276: Direction Relating to Establishment of Escrow Accounts at the Federal Reserve in New York
Executive Order 12277: Direction to Transfer Iranian Government Assets (Gold bullion) from the Bank of England
Executive Order 12278: Direction to Transfer Iranian Government Assets Overseas (including set-offs against Iranian funds)
Executive Order 12279: Direction to Transfer Iranian Govt Assets Held by Domestic Banks.
Executive Order 12280: Direction to Transfer Iranian Government financial Assets Held by Non-Banking Institutions
Executive Order 12281: Direction to Transfer Certain Iranian Government Assets. This sweeping directive unfreezes all non-financial properties "owned by Iran or its agencies, instrumentalities, or controlled entities" in the United States.
Executive Order 12282: Revocation of Prohibitions Against Transactions Involving Iran.
Executive Order 12283: Non-Prosecution of Claims of Hostages and for Actions at the United States Embassy and Elsewhere. Bars former hostages and others harmed in their person or property during the Iranian revolution.
Executive Order 12284: Restrictions on the Transfer of Property of the Former Shah of Iran. Blocks "all property and assets located in the United States" belonging to the former Shah "or any close relative of the former shah served as a defendant in litigation" brought by the regime.
Other articles from The Iran Brief on the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal are available to subscribers, or to clients of Lexis-Nexis. Make sure you select The Iran Brief in the News archive.]
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