Iran has seized the sprawling American Embassy in Tehran

In a move sure to piss off Washington Iran has seized the American Embassy in Iran to pay compensation to a victim of American terrorism.

On the other foot the shoe is not comfortable, but it does open the eyes.

Michael Theodoulou in Nicosia

Iran has seized the sprawling American Embassy in Tehran on behalf of an Iranian businessman who was abducted 15 years ago in a bungled sting operation by US customs agents.

Arrangements are being made to value and sell the compound — prize real estate in central Tehran — at public auction to pay damages to Hossein Alikhani. The Cyprus-based businessman sued the US Government successfully in a Tehran court four years ago and was awarded $550 million (£270 million) in what remains the first lawsuit against America for supporting terrorism.

“The property has effectively been seized and is in my name,” Mr Alikhani told The Times. “I hope to return to Iran in a few weeks to arrange the auction.”

More at Times Online

Who really cares? No Americans have been there since 1979.

Originally posted by djohnsto77

Who really cares? No Americans have been there since 1979.

Expect the AM talk hosts to seize the story and run naked in the streets with it screaming at the top of their lungs. The obvious media momentum is towards conflict with Iran and this fits in nicely with the shotgun argument, short a smoking gun...

USA should drop a cruise missile on it and demolish it making it worthless

Also why didnt USA demolish it when they left? Surely you would think if they left and not going back they should of demolished it with explosives making it worthless and useless.

[edit on 14-4-2007 by blobby]

Originally posted by blobby
USA should drop a cruise missile on it and demolish it making it worthless

That would be an act of war.

We would gain nothing and Iran would gain propaganda.

true but everyone knows Iran's in for it real soon anyway, with all stuff Iran's doing lately and all fire power the coalitions got over there be it tomorrow or next week or next year or few years off Iran's going to be put in its place for sure its on the cards of the future.

This is almost funny.
Just look at the ATS link i have about a quote from Iran to UK while Iran held the British hostages.

LINK



I guess that means the West is supposed to act civilized but Iran need not do so????

so what?
the united states has no diplomatic relations with Iran
the building is a waste of space and since the US left it
it no longer an emabessy so they can do what they like with it

unless of course the US returns and wants to claim their building

Originally posted by bodrul
the building is a waste of space and since the US left it
it no longer an emabessy so they can do what they like with it

The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations differs from that position. As it appears, according to international law the embassy (even as abandoned) still belongs to the US and Iran is responsible for the premises.

Article 45

If diplomatic relations are broken off between two States, or if a mission is permanently or temporarily recalled:

(a) the receiving State must, even in case of armed conflict, respect
and protect the premises of the mission, together with its property
and archives;

(b) the sending State may entrust the custody of the premises of the
mission, together with its property and archives, to a third State
acceptable to the receiving State;

(c) the sending State may entrust the protection of its interests and
those of its nationals to a third State acceptable to the receiving State.

Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations

mg

There isnt any American Embassy in IRan. That building has not been American ever since the rise of the Ayatollahs. They can do what ever they want with the building, after all it was built by the earlier Shah for America.

I guess Iraq should sue Iran for supporting fighters in Iraq and seize the Iranian embassy in return.

edt: oops, wrong thread

[edit on 15-4-2007 by john_bmth]

Meh, all I see there is a dispute over zoning laws of a building that hasn't been in use since 1979.

What I am interested in is how the US was brought to court over terror charges 15 years ago.
They state that was the first... how many more court successes against the US regarding terror charges have been laid since?

The most hillarious thing in the world would be for the US Government to bomb the Embassy after it is given as compensation to whoever.

Just bomb the Embassy and leave...nothing else...

ran across this news concerning Hossein Alikhani

www.einnews.com...

Judiciary Spokesman - Former US embassy compound not for sale
~16 Apr 2007 17:00 GMT~

[...] An Iranian businessman submitted to an Iranian court a lawsuit....
connection with the embassy compound...[,...]

note: One would need to sign up for a free temporary account to read the whole article...

note 2: other sources have identified the Cypriot businessman Hossein Alikhani as a member of the european parliment
~IOW, he's got pull & connections that you or I don't!

and it seems that his lawsuit suggested/petitioned Iran to seize & auction the embassy ...rather than Iran coming up with the scheme by themselves,
and the Iranian courts rejected the idea...
but that's just a guess

Whay are so many people letting personal emotions interfere with their ability to rationalize their way through this?

Another poster already alluded to The VIENNA CONVENTION which governs, INTERNATIONALLY, the status of Diplpomatic Relations. Article 45 addresses DIRECTLY the topic being covered here!

First of all, Iran has ZERO right to do anything to that embassy except to watch over it and protect it! Secondly, our bombing it is an act of war and would be received as such by the Iranians and, likely, by the UN Security Council.

Use your heads please! This is sovereign US property and the Iranians had better respect the letter of International Law on the matter. This is within the sovereign borders of Iran and the US had better respect the International Law on invading a sovereign country - or even bombing it's own property within said boundries. This would need to go before the UN Security Council for clarification OR the World Court.

Originally posted by Malichai
The Cyprus-based businessman sued the US Government successfully in a Tehran court four years ago and was awarded $550 million (£270 million) in what remains the first lawsuit against America for supporting terrorism.

I'm confused , did the U.S. government actually pay out $550 million to someone (Tehran or the business man)?

Originally posted by opinionsarefree

I'm confused , did the U.S. government actually pay out $550 million to someone (Tehran or the business man)?

The Iranian court awarded the man $550 million.

To pay the debt they are seizing our Embassy compound.

It will be auctioned off. Everything over the award figure will go to the government....

I guess I just was not paying attention when I posted last. Today my question seems really stupid. But I've got another. Does the U.S. (and any other country for that matter) purchase property for an embassy, is it donated by the country it is located in or what?