A U.S. federal judge has ordered Iran to pay more than $6 billion to the families of victims from the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, which left some 3,000 people dead.
It’s a victory for the families, albeit a hollow one, since Iran has never officially responded to the lawsuit, Burnett, Sr. et al v. The Islamic Republic of Iran et al. Iran is also unlikely to ever pay. Nonetheless, the largely symbolic judgment still carries significant meaning, as it could set a precedent for similar lawsuits against tyrannical regimes.
