THE HAGUE, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations'top court ordered Wednesday that the United States must lift sanctions on humanitarian goods and on spare parts for civil aviation imposed against Iran.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) unanimously ruled that the U.S. shall remove "any impediments arising from the measures announced on May 8 to the free exportation to Iran of medicines and medical devices, food and agricultural commodities" and spare parts necessary for the safety of civil aviation.

"On humanitarian grounds, the US must remove by means of its choosing any impediment to the free exportation to Iran of goods involving humanitarian concerns," the ICJ said in its ruling.

Iran had requested the ICJ to order an immediate lifting of all sanctions imposed by the United States, arguing that these "unjust and harmful" sanctions "are damaging the economy of Iran and driving millions of people into poverty".

According to Iran, the U.S. violated a bilateral friendship treaty signed in 1955. Iran requested the ICJ to indicate provisional measures.

The lawsuit followed the decision in May this year by U.S. President Donald Trump to quit the nuclear deal and restore sanctions on Iran. Iran started the ICJ proceedings on July 16. The ICJ had a four-day public hearing at the end of August.

The ICJ has the role to settle legal disputes submitted to it by states and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized UN organs and specialized agencies. The seat of the court is in The Hague.