Families of 9/11 Victims Look to Seize Iran Assets in U.K.

A senior court in England has taken a big step toward allowing families of those killed in the Sept. 11 terror attacks to make a claim on Iranian assets in Britain. The relatives want the English High Court to enforce a 2012 decision by a U.S. court that found there was evidence Iran provided “material support and resources to al Qaeda for acts of terrorism.” If the English court agrees to enforce the ruling, it will clear the way for Iranian assets in England and Wales to be seized, such as a central London building and funds held by two subsidiaries of state-owned banks. The court has ruled it’s unnecessary to formally serve the legal papers to Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs—as it is routinely difficult to do so—and it’s now sufficient to try to notify them through email or post. Plaintiffs will now ask a judge at the High Court to consider whether the New York ruling can be entered as a judgment in English law. The judgment could then be enforced, which would allow the assets to be frozen or seized. An Iranian foreign ministry official said: “Such allegations against Iran are aimed at diverting attention from regional countries that were involved in the 9/11 attacks. We are a victim of terrorism and have always fought against terrorism.”