The United States House Votes to Require Iran to Pay Judgments for Victims of Terrorism as a Condition for the Nuclear Deal to Take Effect

The United States House of Representatives has passed legislation with bipartisan support that would block the nuclear weapons deal reached between Iran and other world powers, including the U.S., from taking effect until Iran pays court judgments won against it by American victims of terrorism and other acts of violent jihad that were sponsored by the Iranian dictatorial regime. 

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Pat Meehan of (R-Pennsylvania), who represents part of Berks County, the county in which I reside.  A companion piece of legislation is sponsored by Senator Pat Toomey, a Republican, of Pennsylvania. 

Iran owes victims $43.5 billion, after having paid out only $2.5 in judgments won against it since the 1980s for numerous acts of terrorism and other criminal acts that killed hundreds of Americans and injured many more.  The deal obligates the U.S. to unfreeze over $100 billion of Iranian assets.  None of the Islamic Republic’s assets would be seized, according to its terms.  Although the deal was about nuclear weapons, it lifts certain economic sanctions that were imposed on Iran for its sponsorship of terrorism.  Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism.  I have mentioned in recent posts the concern that Iran would use its unfrozen assets to fund even more terrorism.  

President Barack Obama, a liberal Democrat who signed the nuclear deal negotiated by his Administration, has threatened to veto the bill to require the Iranian regime to pay the judgments it owes to the victims of terrorism.