American victims of Iranian terrorism await long-delayed justice and compensation

For many American victims of Iranian terrorism, surviving an attack was only the beginning of a prolonged ordeal. Decades later, some are still waiting for compensation awarded in U.S. courts, while others have passed away without ever seeing justice. The trauma extends beyond physical and psychological recovery, encompassing financial burdens from lost income, travel costs for family care, and mounting medical expenses.

The U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund, established by Congress in 2015, compensates American survivors and their families who have secured final judgments against designated state sponsors of terrorism. Although the fund has disbursed over $10 billion, this amount represents a small fraction of the tens of billions awarded in court judgments. Many families have waited more than 40 years for full compensation, and some bereaved relatives have died before receiving any payment.

As the number of victims grows due to ongoing attacks by Iranian proxies, Representatives Laura Gillen (D-NY) and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) introduced bipartisan legislation in late July. This bill seeks a $3 billion loan from the Treasury to guarantee victim payouts over the next three years. The loan would be repaid through penalties collected by the U.S. government from entities violating sanctions laws.

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American victims of Iran’s state-sponsored terrorism have waited far too long for the justice and restitution they are legally owed. This bipartisan legislation ensures that our promises to victims are backed by real action, delivering the long-overdue compensation they deserve while holding Iran accountable for decades of horrific violence against Americans.

"American victims of Iran’s state-sponsored terrorism have waited far too long for the justice and restitution they are legally owed," stated Gillen. "This bipartisan legislation ensures that our promises to victims are backed by real action, delivering the long-overdue compensation they deserve while holding Iran accountable for decades of horrific violence against Americans."

Lawyers representing victims of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacres, which they attribute to Iran's role, echo this sentiment. "Victims of Iranian and other state-sponsored terrorism have been seeking justice for decades, and tragically the community of victims has only continued to grow," said Aryeh Portnoy, a lawyer from Crowell & Moring. The ongoing struggle highlights the persistent challenges in achieving full justice and compensation for victims of state-sponsored terrorism.

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Victims of Iranian and other state-sponsored terrorism have been seeking justice for decades, and tragically the community of victims has only continued to grow.