A coalition of 60 Republican House lawmakers has filed legislation that would impose sanctions on 11 Iranian terrorist proxy groups operating across the Middle East. The bill, obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, was filed on Monday by Rep. Greg Steube (R., Fla.) and his GOP colleagues.
Targeting Iranian Proxies
The legislation targets several of the most dangerous Iranian allies, requiring the Biden administration to formally classify them as designated terror organizations. Currently, Iranian-controlled groups operating in Iraq, Yemen, and Syria are not formally classified as foreign terrorist organizations, allowing them to carry out Tehran’s agenda while moving money and weapons across the region.
Combating Terrorism
“Iran has long utilized proxy forces to execute their terror agenda throughout the region. Iranian proxy forces have American blood on their hands dating back decades,” Steube said. The bill aims to combat this threat, with the Republican Study Committee (RSC), Congress’s largest GOP caucus, already indicating its support.
Enforcing Sanctions
As part of the bill, Secretary of State Antony Blinken would have to apply sanctions on Iran’s terror proxies, including those that aid the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in attacking American outposts. The State Department would also have to report to Congress on its efforts to enforce these sanctions and alert lawmakers if it detects any additional Iranian proxy groups that meet the requirements for a terror designation.
Bipartisan Consideration
The legislation is likely to attract interest from Senate Republicans and could be considered by the upper chamber as lawmakers from both parties consider their response to Tehran’s recent strike on Israel. “As we have seen with the unprecedented attacks on Israel this weekend, there’s no real difference between Iran and its puppet militias,” said Rep. Kevin Hern (R., Okla.), the RSC’s chairman.
