A Boeing 747 jet airliner. Photo: Alex Beltyukov via Wikimedia Commons

Victims of Iran-sponsored terrorism have won a major victory in an ongoing lawsuit against the Islamic Republic.

The US Department of Justice told a Chicago court last week that it saw no overriding national security interest in preventing the plaintiffs from receiving information on Boeing’s recent $16.6 billion deal with Iran’s national airline, IranAir.

Boeing fought to stop the disclosure of any aspect of its secret deal with the Islamic Republic for fear that the money might be used to settle judgments in favor of the terror victims and their families.

One of the arguments used by the aircraft manufacturing giant was that disclosure could threaten former president Barack Obama’s 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran and thus damage US national security.

The Department of Justice’s decision effectively invalidates Boeing’s claims.

In a statement, Shurat HaDin-Israel Law Center, an NGO representing the victims in court, said, “Instead of adopting Boeing’s position that US foreign policy interests on this issue supersede those of terror victims, the government condemned the terrorist acts that gave rise to the case and reaffirmed its interest in US victims of terrorism being able to seek compensation for their injuries.”

As a result, Shurat HaDin stated, “The court is free to rule as it sees fit on our request it compel Boeing to disclose the terms of its deal with IranAir.”