TEHRAN – On Tuesday, a third hearing was conducted in a lawsuit where 400,000 Iranian nationals are claiming compensation from the United States for its involvement in the 1953 coup.

Per the Judiciary, the session took place in Branch 55 of Tehran's International Civil Court and was attended by a number of legal specialists.

In opening the proceedings, the judge stated that the lawsuit pits more than 400,000 Iranian plaintiffs against the U.S. government. “The plaintiffs are seeking material, moral, and punitive damages for actions related to the 1953 coup,” he stated. 

The judge elaborated that the court had been presented with a multitude of petitions from across the country's provinces requesting reparations for incurred damages. “This being the third hearing, the court would now determine if additional investigation or legal procedures are required,” he declared at the biggening of the court session.

The judge also referenced Iranian law, affirming the court's jurisdiction to adjudicate the claims. He emphasized that the United States has consistently breached Iran's legal immunity in its own domestic courts. "Therefore, we are equally entitled to reciprocal legal measures" and possess the "jurisdiction to review claims brought by Iranian plaintiffs against the U.S. government," the judge explained.

During the hearing, attorney Aboutaleb Ayaz contended that America's engagement in Iran was from the beginning intended to achieve complete political control. He noted that Washington did not just engineer the overthrow of the then-democratically elected government but also worked with Israel's Mossad to create the infamous SAVAK intelligence agency to crush opposition.

“The coup and the re-installation of a U.S.-backed government ushered in an era of unmatched authoritarian rule in Iran,” Ayaz added. 

The 1953 coup, which was backed by the CIA and Britain's MI6, resulted in the overthrow of the democratically-elected government of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh and reinforced the Pahlavi monarchy. The Pahlavi Shah was eventually toppled during the 1979 Islamic Revolution.