H.R. 2570 — Maximum Pressure Act

This section (1) codifies Executive Orders 13606, 13628, 13846, 13871, 13876, 13902, and 13949 imposing Iran-related sanctions, as in effect on January 20, 2021; (2) prohibits removal from the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List of Iranian individuals or entities, persons designated due to Iran-connected activities, and Asa’ib ahl al-Haq, Zainabiyoun, Fatemiyoun, and Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba if added between May 8, 2019, and January 20, 2021; and (3) reimposes sanctions previously imposed on persons described in (2) during that period but lifted before enactment. All such measures remain in effect until the President submits a certification to Congress pursuant to section 8 of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note), as amended by this Act.

This section directs the President, not later than 30 days after enactment, to impose sanctions on the Supreme Leader of Iran; other officials in the Supreme Leader's office; persons appointed by the Supreme Leader or such office to specified positions as Iranian state officials, heads of Iranian entities, or heads of foreign entities owned or controlled by Iranian entities; persons appointed to such positions by those appointees; persons who materially assist or support sanctioned persons; persons owned or controlled by or acting on behalf of sanctioned persons; persons conducting significant transactions or providing material support to sanctioned persons; senior executives or board members of sanctioned entities; and immediate family members of Supreme Leader's office officials. The sanctions (1) block all property and interests in property of sanctioned persons under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA, 50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) if located in or coming within U.S. jurisdiction or U.S. person control and (2) render sanctioned aliens ineligible for U.S. visas, admission, parole, or immigration benefits under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.), with automatic revocation of existing visas. Exceptions apply for UN Headquarters Agreement compliance, previously transferred Iranian government property under Executive Orders 12170 and 12281, and humanitarian transactions involving agricultural commodities, food, medicine, or medical devices. This section applies IEEPA civil penalties of up to the greater of $250,000 or twice the transaction amount (50 U.S.C. 1705(b)) and criminal penalties of up to a $1,000,000 fine or 20 years imprisonment for natural persons (50 U.S.C. 1705(c)), each with a 10-year statute of limitations, to violations of implementing regulations.

This section directs the President, not later than 60 days after enactment and every 180 days thereafter, to impose blocking sanctions under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA, 50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) and visa ineligibility, inadmissibility, and revocation under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) on foreign persons determined to engage in activities contributing to arms or related materiel transfers to or for Iran, provision of related technical or financial services, proliferation of military items by Iran or its supported paramilitaries, or materially assisting such conduct. Exceptions apply to UN Headquarters Agreement obligations, certain Iranian government assets blocked under prior executive orders, and humanitarian transactions involving agricultural commodities, food, medicine, or medical devices. This section applies IEEPA civil penalties of up to the greater of $250,000 or twice the transaction amount and criminal penalties of up to a $1,000,000 fine or 20 years imprisonment (for natural persons), each with a 10-year statute of limitations, to violations of implementing regulations or sanctions.

This section amends Section 8 of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 to require, in addition to existing termination requirements, presidential certification to the appropriate congressional committees that Iran has complied with each of 12 conditions—including fully disclosing and abandoning prior military nuclear work to the IAEA, ceasing uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing, ending ballistic missile proliferation, releasing detained U.S. and allied citizens, ceasing support for militias and terrorists in Iraq, Yemen, Syria, and Afghanistan, ending threats to neighbors and cyberattacks, and accounting for protesters killed in 2019—before sanctions imposed under Section 5(a) may terminate. It also repeals Section 13 of the Act, eliminating the sunset provision for the sanctions. (Thus, the sanctions remain in effect indefinitely absent certification of all conditions.)

This section amends sectoral sanctions under section 1244 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (22 U.S.C. 8803)—which designate specified Iranian ports and entities in the energy, shipping, and shipbuilding sectors as entities of proliferation concern and require blocking their U.S.-based property and transactions—as follows: (1) expands covered sectors to also include iron, steel, aluminum, copper, construction, manufacturing, mining, textile, petrochemical, automotive, and financial sectors; (2) terminates the President's waiver authority under that section two years after enactment; and (3) terminates all existing waivers under sections 1244 through 1247 of that Act (22 U.S.C. 8803 through 8806) and prohibits new waivers before February 1, 2028. (Thus, the amendments broaden sanctions on additional sectors of Iran's economy that generate revenue for nuclear proliferation activities while curtailing executive discretion to waive them.)

This section amends provisions of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (CISADA). First, it expands the scope of the list of Iranian government officials and agents subject to U.S. sanctions (22 U.S.C. 8514)—currently those responsible for serious human rights abuses against Iranian citizens or their family members on or after June 12, 2009—to also include persons responsible for or complicit in such abuses against the people of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, or Venezuela. (The President must submit the initial list within 90 days of CISADA enactment, with updates every 180 days thereafter or as new information arises; sanctions include visa ineligibility and blocking of property and financial transactions under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.) Second, it amends CISADA sec. 401 regarding termination of sanctions by (1) requiring additional certifications that Iran has complied with 12 specified conditions—including declaring to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) its prior nuclear military dimensions and verifiably abandoning them; ceasing uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing; providing the IAEA unqualified access to all sites; ending ballistic missile proliferation; releasing detained U.S. and allied citizens; ceasing interference in Iraq; ending support for the Houthi militia in Yemen, the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, Hezbollah, and other terrorists; withdrawing forces from Syria; and ending threats to neighbors and attacks on protesters—and (2) terminating the President's waiver authority under that section two years after enactment.

This section establishes a congressional review process for certain presidential actions relating to Iran sanctions. Specifically, before (1) terminating sanctions under the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996, Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (including 22 U.S.C. 8513a), Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012, Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or other provisions; (2) waiving such sanctions for a person; or (3) issuing a license that significantly alters U.S. foreign policy toward Iran, the President must submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees and leadership describing the action, the reasons for it, and certifying that each affected foreign person has not engaged in sanctionable activities during the prior 10 years. During a 30-calendar-day review period (60 calendar days if the report is submitted on or after July 10 and on or before September 7), relevant committees (Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and Financial Services of the House for non-policy-altering actions; Foreign Relations of the Senate and Foreign Affairs of the House for policy-altering actions) must review the report, and the President may not implement the action unless a joint resolution of approval is enacted. (Thus, reports on policy-altering actions must detail the alteration, anticipated national security effects, and original policy objectives for the sanctions; banking committees may request such details for other actions.)

This section directs the President to require the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the Department of the Treasury to issue regulations and guidance expanding the list of services constituting “significant support” to Iran’s shipping sector to include (1) port authorities, (2) importing agents, (3) management firms, (4) charterers, (5) operators, (6) marine insurers, (7) classification societies, and (8) all other maritime services providers. The section further directs the President to require the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Coast Guard to update the May 14, 2020, “Sanctions Advisory for the Maritime Industry, Energy and Metals Sectors, and Related Communities” and all other related federal guidance documents in accordance with this expanded definition.

This section terminates the President's authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to issue waivers or licenses for sanctions required or authorized by specified Iran sanctions laws—including section 1245 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8513a), which designates Iran's financial sector as a primary money laundering concern and requires asset freezes and sanctions on Iranian financial institutions—and related executive orders, effective February 1, 2028. Existing waivers and licenses issued pursuant to such authorities also cease to apply on that date.

This section codifies Treasury regulations on debiting or crediting Iranian accounts (31 CFR §560.516, as in effect on January 1, 2021) with respect to transfers of funds to or from Iran or for the direct or indirect benefit of an Iranian person or the government of Iran, notwithstanding specified authorities under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA, 50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704); the codification applies from the date of enactment until the President certifies to Congress under section 8 of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note), as amended by this Act. Notwithstanding section 302 of this Act or specified IEEPA authorities, the section further (1) applies the codified regulations to foreign financial institutions for transactions conducted in U.S. legal tender; (2) prohibits U.S. financial institutions from engaging in significant transactions—including purchasing or selling foreign exchange with large-value payment systems—with foreign financial institutions that violate such regulations; (3) bars the President from issuing a license to permit transactions under this provision, except as provided; and (4) authorizes the President to suspend the prohibitions in (2) for up to 180 days (renewable for additional 180-day periods) upon providing the required certification to the appropriate congressional committees.

This section deems any rule published on or after enactment that amends a covered regulatory provision—defined as 31 C.F.R. pts. 535, 560, 561, or 1060, or Export Administration Regulations (EAR) pts. 742 or 746 related to Iran, as in effect on enactment—to be a rule or major rule subject to congressional review under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code (i.e., Congressional Review Act). It further requires the head of each applicable federal department or agency to submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees not later than 60 days after enactment and every 90 days thereafter on the operation of the licensing system (i.e., specific and general licenses authorizing otherwise prohibited Iran-related transactions) under each covered regulatory provision for the preceding two-year period, including: (1) the number and types of licenses applied for and approved; (2) a summary of each approved license and of transactions under general licenses; (3) average time from license application to approval; (4) the extent to which licensing procedures were effectively implemented; and (5) descriptions of public comments received after a 30-day public comment period.

This section expands sanctions under the Iran-Iraq Arms Non-Proliferation Act of 1992 by including efforts by Iran to acquire ballistic missile or related technology, in addition to nuclear weapons, for (1) certain persons under section 1604(a) and (2) foreign countries under section 1605(a).

This section expands the scope of mandatory sanctions under the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 by (1) lowering the standard in clause (i) for determining sanctionable transfers of goods, services, or technology to Iran that contribute to weapons of mass destruction development from "would likely" be used to "may" be used; and (2) adding to clause (ii), as a new subclause (II), the knowing acquisition or development by Iran of ballistic missiles and the capability to launch ballistic missiles (with the prior subclause (II) redesignated as subclause (III)). (Thus, the President must impose at least three of 12 available sanctions on foreign persons determined to have knowingly engaged in these activities.)

This section amends Title II of the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8721 et seq.) by adding a new subtitle C on measures relating to Iran's ballistic missile program. The new subtitle (1) defines key terms, including "medical device" (i.e., as defined in section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act [21 U.S.C. 321]) and "medicine" (i.e., as defined as a "drug" in that section); (2) requires the President, not later than 120 days after enactment and every 180 days thereafter, to report to specified congressional committees on persons (disaggregated by Iranian and non-Iranian) providing material support to Iran's ballistic missile or drone programs, after which the President must block such persons' property and interests in property under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), deny visas to and exclude from the United States any such aliens (with limited exceptions for UN Headquarters Agreement compliance), and impose correspondent or payable-through account restrictions on foreign financial institutions knowingly facilitating significant transactions for them on or after 180 days post-enactment; and (3) directs blocking of property and interests in property under IEEPA of persons affiliated with certain Iranian entities.

This section amends Section 104(c)(2) of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 to add a new subparagraph (F) requiring at least three of five specified sanctions on foreign financial institutions that facilitate significant transactions or provide significant financial services for persons sanctioned under sections 105(c), 105A(c), 105B(c), or 105C(a) (i.e., for involvement in human rights abuses in Iran or exporting sensitive technology to Iran). The amendments apply to such activities initiated 90 days after enactment, and the Secretary of the Treasury must prescribe implementing regulations within 90 days of enactment.

This section revises requirements for the President to identify and sanction foreign persons that knowingly materially assist, sponsor, provide financial, material, or technological support for, or engage in significant transactions with Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)—a blocked entity under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)—or certain other sanctioned persons, as follows: (1) accelerates the initial identification report to within 60 days of enactment of the Maximum Pressure Act and subsequent reports to every 60 days thereafter (from within 90 days of August 10, 2012, and every 180 days); (2) expands covered activities in two identification criteria to include providing significant financial services or material support (in addition to significant transactions); (3) adds as covered persons under one criterion foreign terrorist organizations designated under the Immigration and Nationality Act or terrorism supporters, and foreign persons blocked under Executive Order 13224 (terrorism-related); and (4) requires blocking and prohibiting all transactions in the identified person's property and interests in property under IEEPA if located in the United States or within U.S. person control (replacing the prior mandate to impose five or more sanctions under the Iran Sanctions Act plus additional IEEPA sanctions).

This section prohibits, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the appropriation of funds to allocate Special Drawing Rights under Article XVIII, sections 2 and 3, of the Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund to Iran. (Special Drawing Rights are supplementary reserve assets issued by the IMF to member countries, including the United States, to bolster global liquidity.)

This section prohibits the President from rescinding the final rule designating Iran as a jurisdiction of primary money laundering concern under 31 U.S.C. §5318A—i.e., a rule in effect prior to enactment—unless the President submits to the specified congressional committees a certification meeting the requirements of section 8 of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996, as amended. The certification must be in unclassified form but may include a classified annex. Appropriate congressional committees are defined as the House Committees on Foreign Affairs and Financial Services and the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

This section requires the Secretary of the Treasury to direct domestic financial institutions and domestic financial agencies (as defined in 31 U.S.C. 5312(a)) to apply one or more special measures under 31 U.S.C. 5318A(b)—such as enhanced recordkeeping requirements, restrictions on correspondent accounts, or prohibitions on account openings—to any foreign financial institution (as defined in 31 U.S.C. 5312(a)(2)) determined to have knowingly conducted a significant transaction involving the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges or any successor. (As background, special measures under 5318A(b) mitigate money laundering risks from foreign financial institutions of primary money laundering concern.) The President may waive this requirement, upon certification to the appropriate congressional committees that it is in the national security interests of the United States, in 180-day increments during the two-year period beginning on the date of enactment.

This section revises sanctions requirements under 22 U.S.C. 8741 with respect to foreign persons that are officials, agents, affiliates, or owned or controlled by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) by (1) changing the initial identification deadline to 180 days after enactment of the Maximum Pressure Act (from 90 days after enactment of the underlying act) and requiring identifications every 180 days thereafter (previously, as appropriate); (2) directing the President also to identify foreign persons that have conducted sensitive transactions on behalf of such IRGC-linked persons; and (3) expanding priority investigations to include foreign persons listed in Attachments 3 or 4 of Annex A to U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231. The section further requires the President to determine, and report to congressional committees within 90 days of enactment and annually thereafter, whether each of 11 specified Iranian companies—namely, the Telecommunication Company of Iran, Mobile Telecommunication Company of Iran, Calcimin Public Company, Iran Tractor Manufacturing Company of Iran, Iran Zinc Mines Development Company, National Iranian Lead and Zinc Company, Ghadir Investment, Parisian Oil & Gas Development Company, Pardis Petrochemical Company, Tabriz Oil Refinery, and Kermanshah Petrochemical Industries—is owned or controlled by the IRGC. In addition, the section revises the definition of sensitive transactions or activities by (1) lowering the financial transaction threshold to $500,000 in any 12-month period (from $1,000,000) and expanding it to include transactions involving Iranian financial institutions; and (2) adding three new categories: providing material support for foreign terrorist organizations, persons blocked under Executive Order 13224, or the Government of Syria or its instrumentalities (with prior paragraphs (3)-(5) redesignated as (6)-(8)). Finally, the section applies penalties under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to violations and adds definitions of foreign person, IRGC (to include its senior foreign political figures), and own or control (i.e., more than 25% equity interest by vote or value, or majority board seats). (Thus, these changes broaden the scope, frequency, and specificity of sanctions targeting IRGC economic influence and illicit activities.)

This section expands the criteria for presidential identification of foreign persons knowingly supporting Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or certain sanctioned persons or entities under section 302(a)(1) of the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8742(a)(1)). Specifically, it (1) inserts ", provide significant financial services to, or provide material support to" after "engage in a significant transaction or transactions with" in subparagraphs (B) and (C); (2) revises subparagraph (C) to cover, in addition to prior persons subject to UN Security Council sanctions, (ii) persons or entities designated as foreign terrorist organizations under INA §219(a) (8 U.S.C. 1189(a)) or that have provided support for an act of international terrorism, and (iii) foreign persons whose property is blocked under Executive Order 13224 (relating to blocking property of terrorism supporters); and (3) adds subparagraph (D) covering persons acting on behalf of, at the direction of, or owned or controlled by persons described in (A)-(C). The section further replaces the sanctions imposition requirement in subsection (b) with a mandate for the President to block and prohibit all transactions in property and interests in property of such identified foreign persons if located in the United States, coming within the United States, or in the possession or control of a U.S. person (previously, imposition of five or more sanctions from the Iran Sanctions Act menu, plus optional additional sanctions under IEEPA).

This section declares it the policy of the United States to fully implement and enforce sanctions against Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including its officials, agents, and affiliates. It amends Subtitle B of title III of the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-158) by adding two new reporting requirements: (1) New section 313 requires the President to submit to the appropriate congressional committees, not later than 180 days after enactment and annually thereafter for three years, an unclassified report (with possible classified annex; unclassified portion publicly posted on Treasury and State websites) listing (A) foreign persons on the Tehran Stock Exchange, (B) foreign persons operating businesses in Iran valued over $100 million, and (C) Iranian financial institutions valued over $10 million; for each, identifying the economic sector and determining IRGC or affiliate ownership/control (directly or indirectly) or, for financial institutions, knowingly facilitating a significant transaction for the IRGC in the prior two years. (2) New section 314 requires the President to submit such reports every 180 days, starting 180 days after enactment, identifying each sector of Iran's economy in which 20 or more of the section 313-listed Iranian financial institutions or foreign persons are determined to be IRGC-controlled or facilitating.

This section prohibits the President from issuing new waivers or licenses pursuant to the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps under Executive Order 13224 (i.e., blocking property and prohibiting transactions with persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism) until the President certifies pursuant to section 8 of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996, as amended by this Act. Existing waivers and licenses issued pursuant to that designation remain in effect.

This section prohibits the Secretary of State from removing the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189) unless the President certifies to Congress pursuant to section 8 of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note), as amended by this Act. This section further maintains in effect the waiver issued by the Secretary of State on April 24, 2019 (84 Fed. Reg. 17227; relating to material support for certain foreign governmental sub-entities of the IRGC) and prohibits the President from issuing any new waiver or license connected to the IRGC's FTO designation until such certification.

This section codifies Executive Order 14175 (signed January 22, 2025), designating Ansarallah in Yemen (also known as the Houthis) as a foreign terrorist organization and giving the order the force and effect of enacted law. (As background, foreign terrorist organization designation under INA §219 authorizes asset freezes by the Treasury Department, inadmissibility of organization members to the United States, and criminal penalties for providing material support.)

This section directs the Secretary of State, not later than 90 days after the date of enactment, to submit to the appropriate congressional committees a determination, including a detailed justification, on whether Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Kata’ib al-Imam Ali, Saraya Khorasani, and the Badr Corps, and any foreign person that is an official, agent, affiliate of, or owned or controlled by those entities, meets the criteria for (1) designation as a foreign terrorist organization under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189); (2) sanctions under Executive Order 13224 (relating to blocking property and prohibiting transactions with persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism); or (3) sanctions under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019 (22 U.S.C. 8791 note), which authorizes sanctions pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) on persons responsible for or complicit in serious human rights abuses in Syria. The determination must be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.

This section directs the Secretary of State to annually maintain and publish a list of armed groups, militias, or proxy forces in Iraq receiving logistical, military, or financial assistance from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or over which the IRGC exerts control or influence. The list must be published concurrently with the Annual Country Reports on Terrorism under 22 U.S.C. 2656f (i.e., comprehensive annual assessments of global terrorism trends, country involvement, and terrorist groups), beginning with the first such report after enactment of this Act. The Secretary may submit a classified annex on the list to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations not later than 30 days after publication.

This section (1) expresses the sense of Congress that Iran’s influence and activities in Yemen threaten U.S. national security and regional partners including Israel and Saudi Arabia, and that the U.S. must stand with Israel and Gulf allies against Houthi aggression; and (2) amends sec. 103(b)(6)(A) of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act to expand a required element of the interagency strategy on deterring Iranian conventional and asymmetric threats—specifically, the summary of U.S. interdictions of Iranian lethal arms—from groups designated as foreign terrorist organizations to such arms bound for Ansarallah (also known as the Houthis), Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, or designated foreign terrorist organizations.

This section requires the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, to submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report, not later than 30 days after enactment and annually thereafter, listing each person not currently subject to U.S. sanctions determined to be in violation of (1) this Act or the amendments made by this Act; (2) the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-172); (3) the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (22 U.S.C. 8501 et seq.); (4) section 1245 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8513a); (5) the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8701 et seq.); (6) the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8801 et seq.); (7) the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 note); or (8) any other statute or executive order requiring or authorizing Iran sanctions. The report must be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex. In this section, the term _appropriate congressional committees_ means the House Committees on Foreign Affairs and Financial Services and the Senate Committees on Foreign Relations and Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

This section requires the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, to submit to the appropriate congressional committees—not later than 180 days after enactment and annually thereafter—a report describing (1) the status of U.S. sanctions on Iran; (2) the reimposition and renewed enforcement of secondary sanctions on Iran; (3) the impact of such sanctions on Iran's support for terrorism, including Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other foreign terrorist organizations; (4) the impact on Iran's military budget, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; (5) the impact on the budget and resources of the Basij and its ability to commit gross human rights abuses against the people of Iran; (6) the impact on Iran's support for the al-Assad regime in Syria and Iranian-backed militias operating in Syria; (7) the impact on Iran's support for Ansarallah (Houthis) in Yemen; and (8) the impact of lifting such sanctions on Iran's ability to commit human rights abuses against the people of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, including whether lifting sanctions would increase resources for gross human rights abuses such as torture, extrajudicial killings, or killing protesters. The report must be submitted in unclassified form (with a possible classified annex) and have its unclassified portion made publicly available on a federal government website. "Appropriate congressional committees" are defined to include the House Committees on Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, and Financial Services; and the Senate Committees on Armed Services, Foreign Relations, Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and the Judiciary.

This section establishes as U.S. policy to (1) support democracy and human rights in Iran, including freedom of speech and assembly; (2) facilitate the free flow of information into Iran; (3) hold Iran accountable for severe human rights abuses against its people and those in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Venezuela; and (4) condemn attacks on protesters by Iran or its sponsored militias. This section directs the President, not later than 180 days after enactment, to determine and report to specified congressional committees whether any of 13 named Iranian officials—including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Justice Minister Amin Hossein Rahimi, and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders—qualify for sanctions under section 105 of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (22 U.S.C. 8514), the Mahsa Amini Human Rights and Security Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 8501 note), or Executive Order 13553 (relating to blocking property of persons involved in serious human rights abuses by the Iranian government). This section codifies Executive Orders 13876 (imposing sanctions in response to Iran's human rights abuses), 13553 (addressing serious human rights abuses by the Iranian government), and 13818 (addressing human rights abuses and corruption globally).

This section directs the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Director of National Intelligence, to submit to the appropriate congressional committees, not later than 180 days after enactment, a report estimating the net worth and known sources of income—including from corrupt or illicit activities—of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his family members (spouse, children, siblings, and paternal and maternal cousins), including their assets, investments, business interests, beneficial ownership information, and ties to Iranian parastatal institutions or bonyaads (i.e., government-linked charitable foundations functioning as economic conglomerates) such as the Mostazafan Foundation and Astan Quds Razavi, as well as the total estimated value of the Mostazafan Foundation and Astan Quds Razavi. The report must be submitted in unclassified form (possibly with a classified annex), with the unclassified portion posted on a public federal government website; appropriate congressional committees are defined as the House Committees on Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, and Financial Services, and the Senate Committees on Armed Services, Foreign Relations, and Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

This section directs the Secretary of the Treasury to establish, maintain, and publish in the Federal Register the IRGC Watch List (i.e., Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Watch List) of (1) entities in which the IRGC has an ownership interest of less than 25 percent; (2) entities without IRGC ownership interest in which the IRGC maintains a board presence or influences actions, policies, or personnel; and (3) persons owning or controlling such entities. It requires the Secretary to submit to the appropriate congressional committees (i.e., specified House and Senate committees on armed services, foreign affairs/relations, financial services/banking) a report on the list (including changes) and an assessment of the IRGC's role in Iran's economy within 90 days of enactment and annually thereafter, in unclassified form with a possible classified annex and public website availability. It further requires the Comptroller General to review the list—consulting nongovernmental organizations—and submit a report to Congress within 180 days of each Treasury report.

This section requires the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, to submit to the appropriate congressional committees (i.e., the House and Senate Armed Services Committees; House Foreign Affairs and Financial Services Committees and Senate Foreign Relations and Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committees; and Senate Judiciary Committee), not later than 180 days after enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, a report that includes (1) an assessment of Iran’s estimated breakout timeline for uranium enrichment to achieve the fissile material necessary for a nuclear weapon, and (2) an assessment of Iran’s estimated weaponization timeline to obtain a nuclear weapon.

This section directs the Global Engagement Center (GEC) of the Department of State—not later than 180 days after enactment and annually thereafter—to submit to the appropriate congressional committees (i.e., specified committees of the House and Senate Armed Services, Foreign Affairs/Relations, Financial Services/Banking, and Judiciary) a report on (1) the scope of Iranian disinformation efforts worldwide (including in the United States), (2) the objectives, means, and mechanisms of such efforts, and (3) the GEC's strategy to counter them. The report must be unclassified (with a possible classified annex), and the unclassified portion must be posted on a public federal website.

This section directs the Director of National Intelligence, not later than 180 days after enactment and annually thereafter, to submit to the appropriate congressional committees an unclassified report—with a possible classified annex, and with the unclassified portion posted on a public federal website—describing (1) the extent of Hamas funding by Iran, (2) how U.S. sanctions enforcement on Iranian oil affects Hamas resources, and (3) an assessment of how U.S. sanctions enforcement on Iran in 2019–2020 compared to 2021–2023 affected Hamas budgets. Appropriate congressional committees are defined as the House Committees on Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, and Financial Services; and the Senate Committees on Armed Services, Foreign Relations, Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and the Judiciary.

This section directs the Director of National Intelligence to submit to the appropriate congressional committees, not later than 180 days after enactment and every 180 days thereafter, a report assessing (1) whether any Iran-related sanctions waived, suspended, reduced, or otherwise relieved in the three years prior to enactment have freed resources for Iran to support foreign terrorist organizations and proxy militia groups; and (2) the extent to which such sanctions relief has increased resources for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or other foreign terrorist organizations or proxy groups. The report must be unclassified, with a possible classified annex, and its unclassified portion publicly available on a federal government website.

This section requires the Attorney General, jointly with the Director of National Intelligence, to submit to the appropriate congressional committees (i.e., specified committees of the House and Senate including Armed Services, Foreign Affairs or Foreign Relations, Financial Services or Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and Judiciary), not later than 180 days after enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, an unclassified report (with a possible classified annex, and unclassified portion publicly available on a federal website) describing (1) the scope of Iranian counterintelligence threats in the United States; (2) whether agents of the Government of Iran have sought or obtained employment in the U.S. federal government; (3) Iranian espionage, influence, and infiltration efforts in the United States, including the role of the Iran Experts Initiative; and (4) a strategy to counter such efforts.

This section amends the Department of State Rewards for Justice program by adding a new reward category for information leading to the arrest or conviction in any country of (1) members of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or other foreign terrorist organizations that participated in, funded, or planned the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks against Israel; or (2) leaders of such organizations aligned with or affiliated with Iran. (As background, the program authorizes the Secretary of State to pay rewards, generally up to $25 million, for information leading to the arrest or conviction of individuals involved in international terrorism, narcotics trafficking, and related crimes.) The section further revises the maximum reward amount to $25 million, except as personally authorized by the Secretary of State to combat terrorism or for individuals in the new category; it also authorizes rewards of up to $50 million without such determination for leaders of foreign terrorist organizations.

This section directs the President, not later than 90 days after enactment, to make available to the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund (i) funds transferred from the Republic of Korea to Qatar pursuant to specified waivers under section 1245(d)(5) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (P.L. 112-81) and sections 1244(i) and 1247(f) of the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012 (part of P.L. 112-239) and transmitted to Congress on September 11, 2023, and (ii) any other funds held with respect to U.S. sanctions on Iran that the President determines appropriate for the Fund. The Fund, established under the Justice for United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act (34 U.S.C. 20144), compensates U.S. persons who are victims of state-sponsored terrorism, as administered by a Special Master. This section further clarifies that the transfers do not preclude Fund payments to victims of the October 7, 2023, attack in Israel who file eligible claims under 34 U.S.C. 20144(c) afterward.

This section requires the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to determine not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter, whether any Iranian financial institution not already subject to sanctions under Executive Order 13902 qualifies for such sanctions and, if so, to impose them. (Executive Order 13902 authorizes sanctions on financial institutions that knowingly engage in significant transactions or provide material assistance for Iran's iron, steel, aluminum, or copper sectors.)

This section establishes a reporting requirement under 28 U.S.C. 1605A (i.e., the state sponsor of terrorism exception to foreign sovereign immunity) directing the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretaries of the Treasury and State, to submit to the Senate and House Judiciary and Foreign Relations/Affairs Committees, not later than 180 days after enactment and annually thereafter, a report on legal and practical mechanisms for victims to enforce and collect judgments against Iran. The report must include (1) an assessment of Iranian assets within U.S. jurisdiction subject to attachment or execution, (2) recommendations for legislative or executive actions to facilitate satisfaction of such judgments, and (3) an analysis of existing impediments to collection and proposed solutions.

This section establishes the Iran Labor Strike and Civil Society Support Fund to provide financial assistance to Iranian workers engaging in labor strikes and support for families of political prisoners and individuals who have lost income earners due to political repression. The fund is financed by (1) penalties and fines collected from violations of Iran-related sanctions laws, (2) asset forfeitures from Iranian regime officials and entities found to be in violation of U.S. laws, and (3) congressional appropriations; it is administered by the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury, who shall establish eligibility criteria for recipients ensuring accountability and transparency.

This section establishes an Iran Kleptocracy Initiative within the Department of Justice to investigate, expose, and counteract corruption among Iranian government officials. The initiative must (1) identify assets held by such officials and their proxies, including those concealed through family members; (2) work with the Department of the Treasury and allied governments to freeze, seize, and repurpose illicitly acquired assets; (3) publish findings on corrupt practices within the Iranian regime; (4) coordinate with domestic and international law enforcement for prosecutions and asset recoveries; and (5) submit an annual report to Congress on actions taken.