What happened
A US federal court has ruled that Iran and North Korea are liable for damages resulting from seven terrorist attacks between 2019 and 2023 that harmed Americans. The court ordered the two countries to pay a combined total of over $486 million to 47 plaintiffs, including US nationals who were injured by terrorists and family members of those killed.
The lawsuit, filed in April 2025 under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, alleged that Iran and North Korea sponsored terrorist groups such as al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which carried out attacks in the Middle East and Africa. The court found that Iran and North Korea did not respond to the lawsuit, and therefore ruled in favor of the plaintiffs.
The attacks included in the lawsuit involved US military members and civilians, and resulted in the deaths of over 40 Americans. The most recent attack referenced in the lawsuit was the October 7, 2023, invasion of Israel by Hamas, which involved help from Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Iran's government.
The US government has long considered Iran to be the world's top sponsor of terrorism, and has designated North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism multiple times since 1988. However, the US does not currently have a clear way to compel countries to pay damages to victims of terrorism.
