Assessing the Possibility of Prosecuting the Assassination of Major General Qassem Soleimani before the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice

The US military operation to assassinate General Soleimani, contrary to its claim, does not comply with the elements and conditions of self-defense and is an internationally wrongful act. The subject of this article is assessing the possibility of prosecution of criminal responsibility and civil responsibility arising from this wrongful act before the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice. Despite Iran and US are not parties to the Statute of International Criminal Court, Iran could create the possibility of exercising jurisdiction by the court over the case through inviting Iraq to accept the ad hoc jurisdiction of the court. But, even in these circumstances, the assassination of General Soleimani cannot be pursued within the framework of one of the four crimes under the jurisdictional of the Court. It is possible to pursue US civil responsibility for this wrongful act by resorting to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Internationally Protected Persons 1973 (1973) to which the Iran and US are the parties. This Convention, which prohibits the commission of certain crimes, including murder, against internationally protected persons, has provided a dispute settlement mechanism that will eventually lead to the International Court of Justice.