Iran’s top judicial authority declared Sunday that the country intends to bring human rights cases against the United States — both within Iran and on the international stage — and will move to confiscate American assets whenever the chance arises.
Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Eje’i made the announcement following a directive from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not made a public appearance since being appointed to the position in March.
According to Eje’i, the legal efforts will center on casualties and damage that Iran attributes to military strikes carried out by the United States and Israel. Iranian courts, he said, would press forward with those claims while actively looking for opportunities to seize U.S.-owned property.
Khamenei had previously called on the judiciary to open legal proceedings against both the United States and Israel over losses stemming from military conflict last June and again starting on February 28, 2026.
During a message delivered in observance of Judiciary Week, Eje’i stated that Iran’s courts have a duty to hold accountable what he called “the crimes of international criminals, arrogant powers and global aggressors,” with special focus on events that took place in 2025 and 2026.
While conceding that Iran’s practical ability to get its hands on American assets is limited, Eje’i made clear that authorities would not stop pursuing such cases when openings present themselves.
“From now on, if we gain access to the properties of criminal Americans, we will seize and confiscate them in accordance with the legal ruling of the courts,” he said.
Eje’i also referenced a past instance in which Iran took possession of an American ship, saying it was done “for the benefit of compatriots who have suffered losses from American crimes.” He did not name the vessel in question.
The specific ship he referred to was not immediately clear. However, in 2023, Iran’s navy seized the cargo aboard the Advantage Sweet, a Suezmax crude tanker sailing under the Marshall Islands flag, in international waters in the Gulf of Oman.
