Iranian Terror Prevention Act
The Iranian Terror Prevention Act would designate a broad set of Iranian-backed and Iraqi-based militias and related groups as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) within 90 days of enactment. It also directs the President to decide, within 60 days of designation, whether to apply sanctions described in Executive Order 13224 (the standard toolbox for counterterrorism sanctions) to those groups and to any entities that are agents, affiliates, or controlled by them. The bill requires ongoing reporting to Congress: a State Department report every 180 days identifying new entities that meet FTO or sanctions criteria, and a President’s report within 60 days after any sanctions decision explaining why certain listed groups were or were not sanctioned. The intent is to sharply constrain the financing and support networks of Iran and its allied militias by formally labeling them as terrorist and subjecting them to U.S. sanctions.
Key Points
- 1Timeline for action: Designate each listed organization as an FTO within 90 days of enactment; determine sanctions for those groups or their agents within 60 days thereafter.
- 2List of designated groups: A sizable roster of Iraqi and Iranian-aligned militias and formations, including but not limited to Abu Fadl al-Abbas Brigades, Badr Organization, Fatemiyoun Brigade, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, various Kata’ib groups, Sarayya al-Salam, Liwa lines (e.g., Liwa Imam Hussein, Liwa al-Baqir), Ansarallah (Houthis), Turkmen Brigades, Babylon Brigades, Usbat al-Thaireen, and others; plus any foreign entity affiliated with or owned/controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
- 3Sanctions framework: Once designated, the President must decide within 60 days whether to impose U.S. sanctions under Executive Order 13224 (which blocks property and prohibits transactions with terrorists) on each group or on their agents/affiliates.
- 4Reporting requirements:
- 5- Secretary of State must submit a report every 180 days on new entities meeting FTO or 13224-based sanctions criteria.
- 6- The President must provide a congressional report within 60 days after a sanctions decision, explaining why any listed group was not sanctioned if applicable.
- 7Scope of impact: The bill targets not just the named organizations but also entities that are agents, affiliates, or instrumentalities of those groups, broadening the reach of sanctions to networks linked to them.