Bills
| 3.23.22

Should Iran Stay Sanctioned Until It Pays the Victims of Its Terrorism? (H.R. 3457)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is H.R. 3457?

(Updated April 19, 2018)

This bill would prevent the President from lifting sanctions on Iran through a nuclear agreement until Iran pays compensation to victims of Iranian terrorism, so Iran’s frozen assets would remain restricted.


The President would be required to certify that Iran has paid each judgment against it irrespective of whether there were other defendants.


Covered judgments would include any claim brought against Iran, or Iran and any other country that is under the jurisdiction of U.S. courts between March 4, 2000 and May 22, 2015.

Argument in favor

Iran shouldn’t receive any sanctions relief until it pays compensation to those who have been harmed through its acts of terrorism regardless of the terms of the nuclear agreement. These victims deserve justice, and this should’ve been addressed in the deal.

Argument opposed

Preventing Iranian assets from being unfrozen would violate the terms of the nuclear agreement that the U.S., Iran, and other nations agreed to. It’s not worth potentially undoing the progress the world has made on preventing Iran from getting nuclear weapons.

Impact

Victims of Iranian terrorism, federal agencies in charge of enforcing sanctions on Iran, the President, and Iran.

Cost of H.R. 3457

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-PA) noted in a press release that Iran owes $43.5 billion in unpaid damages to victims of its acts of terror. Rep. Meehan added that:

“Iran should not get a red cent in U.S. sanctions relief until it has paid its victims what they are owed. I oppose the Iran deal, but surely we can all agree that Iran should not reap any benefits from the U.S. until it has compensated the families of those whose lives were taken by Iranian terrorism… The principle and effect of this bill is simple: no sanctions relief unless Iran pays up.”

Currently this bill has 112 cosponsors in the House of Representatives, all of whom are Republicans.


The Obama administration has promised to veto this legislation if it were to pass the House and the Senate. A statement released by the White House stated that allowing this legislation to become law would jeopardize “the Administration’s ability to fulfill U.S. commitments to non-nuclear issues that are outside the scope” of the deal.


Of Note: Iran has been designated as a leading state sponsor of terrorism by the U.S. Dept. of State since 1984. Among the acts of terror that Iran has been linked with are the bombings of the Khobar Towers in 1996, and the Beirut Marine Barracks in 1982, the 9/11 attacks, plus bus bombings, suicide attacks, assassinations, and hostage takings. American courts have awarded damages against Iran to almost 1300 victims and their families. Iran has not paid any compensation.


Media:

Summary by Eric Revell
(Photo Credit: Flickr user NYCMarines)