Addressed to:

The Honorable President of the United States of America
Donald J. Trump

 

Cc:

The United States Congress
The United States Department of State
Office of the Legal Adviser

⸻

I. INTRODUCTION AND STANDING

We, the undersigned Petitioners—comprising Iranian nationals, Iranian-Americans, United States citizens, and advocates of democracy, international law, and diplomatic integrity—hereby submit this formal and comprehensive legal petition.

This Petition is grounded in:

•  Binding treaty law
• Customary international law
• Authoritative judicial precedent 
• And the internationally recognized doctrine of State responsibility

 

We assert standing as:

1. Members of the Iranian nation deprived of lawful and legitimate international representation;
2. Citizens and residents of the United States concerned with the enforcement of international legal obligations owed to the United States;
3. Interested parties in preserving the integrity of the international diplomatic system.

⸻

II. STATEMENT OF FACTS

1. On 4 November 1979, the Embassy of the United States in Tehran was unlawfully seized.
2. U.S. diplomatic and consular personnel were taken hostage and detained for 444 days.
3. These acts were carried out initially by non-state actors and were subsequently endorsed, adopted, and maintained by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
4. On 24 May 1980, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in United States of America v. Iran, held Iran fully internationally responsible.
5. The Islamic Republic of Iran has never complied with the ICJ judgment, nor provided full reparation.
6. To this day, the former U.S. Embassy compound in Tehran remains under continued occupation, alteration, ideological exploitation, and security use by Iranian state authorities.
7. Diplomatic relations between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran remain severed, and the Iranian Embassy in Washington, D.C. has remained closed and inactive for decades.

⸻

III. VIOLATIONS OF THE VIENNA CONVENTION ON DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS (1961)

The Islamic Republic of Iran remains in material and continuing breach of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (VCDR), including but not limited to:

 • Article 22(1) — Absolute inviolability of diplomatic premises

 • Article 22(2) — Special duty of the receiving State to protect diplomatic premises from intrusion or damage

 • Article 24 — Inviolability of diplomatic archives and documents

 • Article 29 — Inviolability of diplomatic agents

 • Article 31 — Immunity of diplomatic agents from criminal jurisdiction

 

These obligations are non-derogable, unconditional, and apply irrespective of internal political change or revolutionary circumstance.

⸻

IV. INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE — BINDING JUDGMENT (1980)

 

In United States of America v. Iran (ICJ, Judgment of 24 May 1980), the Court held that:

 1. Iran violated its obligations under the VCDR and customary international law;

 2. The acts were attributable to the Iranian State;

 3. Iran was under an obligation to:

 • Immediately cease the violations, and

 • Provide full reparation to the United States.

 

Iran’s persistent non-compliance constitutes a continuing internationally wrongful act under international law.

 

⸻

 

V. STATE RESPONSIBILITY AND CONTINUING BREACH

 

(Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts – ARSIWA)

 

Pursuant to ARSIWA:

 • Article 1 — Every internationally wrongful act of a State entails international responsibility

 • Article 2 — Attribution of conduct and breach of an international obligation

 • Article 14(2) — Breaches of a continuing character extend over the entire period of continuation

 • Article 30 — Obligation of cessation and non-repetition

 • Article 31 — Obligation to make full reparation

 • Articles 49–51 — Right of the injured State to take proportionate and lawful countermeasures

The United States, as the injured State, retains full legal authority to adopt countermeasures concerning Iranian diplomatic property.

 

⸻

 

VI. LOSS OF LEGITIMATE DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION

 

Diplomatic privileges exist to serve lawful representation of a nation, not to protect regimes that:

•  Lack democratic legitimacy,
•  Systematically violate fundamental human rights,
•  Abuse diplomatic norms for ideological, coercive, or propagandistic purposes.

 

The Islamic Republic of Iran, by its conduct, has forfeited any credible claim to represent the Iranian nation for purposes of diplomatic privilege and property abroad.

 

⸻

 

VII. RELIEF REQUESTED

 

In light of the foregoing, the Petitioners respectfully request that:

1. The closed Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Washington, D.C. be formally removed from the control, claim, disposition, or beneficial interest of the Islamic Republic of Iran, pending the establishment of a lawful, democratic, and internationally compliant government in Iran.
2. The premises be designated as a temporary and symbolic representation of the Iranian nation, separate and distinct from the current ruling regime.
3. His Royal Highness Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi (جناب شاهزاده رضا پهلوی) be formally recognized as the custodian and legitimate national representative for the civic, symbolic, and political stewardship of said premises on behalf of the Iranian people.

 

This request:

•  Does not constitute interference in Iran’s internal affairs,
•  Does not imply recognition of a new state,
•  Constitutes a lawful enforcement of international responsibility and diplomatic integrity.

⸻

 

VIII. CONCLUSION

 

Diplomatic privilege cannot exist without diplomatic responsibility.

A regime in continuous violation of international law cannot invoke its protections indefinitely.

 

Granting this Petition would:

 • Uphold binding international law,

 • Reinforce compliance with ICJ judgments,

 • Affirm the United States’ commitment to accountability, legitimacy, and the rule of law.