Congress is expected to consider a bill this week that would block U.S. President Barack Obama from releasing billions of Iran's frozen assets until Tehran pays $43.5 billion in court-ordered damages to American victims of Iranian-backed terrorism.
The Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act, introduced by Rep. Patrick Meehan and co-sponsored by 84 other Republicans in the House, aims to stall the implementation of Obama's Iran nuclear agreement, under which Iran would temporarily suspend aspects of its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of a number of international economic sanctions that have devastated its economy.
Some $150 billion of frozen Iranian assets would also be returned to the country, causing some lawmakers to fear the money could be used to sponsor terrorism, according to The Daily Caller.
"Iran shouldn't get one red cent in U.S. sanctions relief until it has paid its victims what they are owed," Meehan said in a statement. "I oppose the Iran [nuclear] 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 terrorists."
Meehan points out that over the past two decades, U.S. courts have ordered Iran to pay more than $45 billion to American victims of Iranian-sponsored terrorism, according to AFP.
Iran has been accused of sponsoring the 1983 attack on the U.S. Marine barracks in Lebanon, the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia and a number of other attacks on shopping centers and buses, along with hostage taking, but Iran refuses to pay damages, according to Voice of America.
It's not yet clear whether the bill will make it through the House, although House Speaker John Boehner has already voiced his support, saying it would be unfair for Obama to "provide Iran with about $100 billion of their assets locked up in Western banks, without first paying the victims of Iranian terrorism."
Meehan said the bill would also be introduced in the Senate this week, where it is expected to meet more resistance.
