U.S. lawyer urges Iran to sue over nukes

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TEHRAN, July 22 (UPI) -- A University of Illinois law professor says he has offered to represent Iran if it decides to sue the United States over threatened nuclear program sanctions.

Iran's Press TV reported Tuesday that Francis Boyle, an international law expert, is urging Iranian leaders to sue Israel and the United States through the International Court of Justice in The Hague over their ultimatum that Iran freeze its nuclear enrichment program in a matter of weeks or face further sanctions.

If Iran decides to sue, he told the broadcaster, he would represent the country.

"My proposal was that Iran should sue these states immediately, convene an emergency hearing by the World Court, and ask the court to indicate provisional measures of protection on behalf of Iran against the United States, Israel and the EU-3 -- basically a temporary restraining order," Boyle said.

He told Press TV such a lawsuit would discourage a military attack on Iran's nuclear facilities and prevent the imposition of new sanctions by the U.N. Security Council.