The Hague, Aug 27 (IANS): Iran opened a case at the UN top court on Monday, calling on the organization to suspend unilateral economic sanctions imposed by Washington after US President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 international nuclear deal.

Iran's representative at the Hague-based International Court of Justice said he was obliged to bring the case before judges as the US refused to negotiate a solution through diplomatic channels, Efe news reported.

Lawyers accused Washington of trying to "bring Iran to its knees" and said the sanctions were in breach of a bilateral accord struck in 1955.

Trump outlined fresh sanctions in early August, just three months after the long-term critic of the Iranian regime withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, a historic accord struck by his predecessor Barack Obama, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany in 2015.

The deal required Tehran to abandon its pursuit of a nuclear arsenal in exchange for the partial lifting of international economic sanctions.