Interpretation of Treaties in the Practice of Iran-US Claims Tribunal

The interpretation of treaties have important, wide-spread and explicated affects in international law. The awards of Iran-US Claims Tribunal, with more than a quarter of century in operation since 1982 have profoundly affected the different fields of international law, including the interpretation of treaties. The present article deals with the Tribunal's practice in the subject of interpretation of treaties. The Tribunal's interpretation of Algerian Declarations and other international agreements, in addition to creating good and reliable precedents, have some effects on the development of international law in the subject of interpretation of treaties. The Tribunal always applies the 1969 Vienna Convention of the Law of Treaties, in particular Articles 31 and 32, and has interpreted Algerian Declarations in conformity with the above provisions. One of the principles and rules invoked by the Tribunal is the principle of prevailing concept under which each word must be interpreted in its own context and with regard to the object and purpose of a treaty.