Tehran Incitement to Violence Act

This Act may be cited as the “Tehran Incitement to Violence Act”.

Congress finds the following:

(1) Abdolmajid Kharghani, a hardline cleric and Quranic studies expert, reportedly revealed an online fundraising campaign to the assassination of U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Khargani claimed in a state-television appearance that this could be achieved in Europe with $10–$20 million.

(2) Following Abdolmajid Khargani’s remarks, the website THAAR.IR was launched to crowdsource funding to execute the aforementioned assassination attempts, which has since claimed to have raised more than $20 million. This figure and fund have not been independently verified.

(3) During and following the 12-Day War against the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear, missile, and military facilities, Iranian clerics and various other political and religious figures have variously described U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as being a “Mohareb” (one who wares against God), a “Mahdur al-Dam” (one whose blood must be spilled), a “Mufsid fil-Arz” (a spreader of corruption on earth), and a “Kafir Harbi” (a waring infidel) all of which under Islamic Law (Sharia) invite violence against the offender.

(4) Ayatollah Hossein Mazaheri has reportedly issued a fatwa against President Trump, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and others charging them with the crime of Moharebeh which under the Islamic penal system has had various punishments throughout which include the death penalty, crucifixion, cross amputation, and exile. Under the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran, this charge carries the death penalty.

(5) Ayatollah Jafar Sobhani, a senior member of the Assembly of Experts, reportedly issued a fatwa charging President Trump, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and others, with the crime of Moharebeh.

(6) Alireza Panahian, a senior member of the Office of Supreme Leader, is an extremist cleric affiliated with—

(A) the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps;

(B) the IRGC’s intelligence-security apparatus, which is involved in gross human rights violations in Iran and proliferating terrorism abroad;

(C) the inner ring of Mojtaba Khamenei’s personal network; and

(D) the so-called “Habib Circle”, one of the regime’s highest informal security-intelligence networks, which has committed human rights violations and is involved in terrorist activities.

(7) Alireza Panahian has publicly endorsed and propagated the fatwas of Ayatollah Naser Makarem-Shirazi, a member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts and an illicit profiteer in Iran’s sugar market, and Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani, disciple and former representative in Europe of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, including their characterization of President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “Moharebeh”—an offense that, under Iranian law, can carry the death penalty.

(8) Alireza Panahian serves as a leading figure in the IRGC’s indoctrination system and is described by analysts as one of the main ideological architects of its militarized, apocalyptic Mahdism doctrine.

(9) Within hardline currents of Iran’s post-1979 political-religious establishment—especially IRGC-linked Mahdist ideology—Mahdism is interpreted as requiring the destruction of Israel as a prelude to the return of the Hidden 12th Imam.

(10) Ayatollah Abbas Kaabi, a member of the leadership committee of the Assembly of Experts, an affiliate with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and is described as a key figure in the establishment of Hezbollah in Lebanon, and who possesses extensive ties to Iran-backed Shia militias in Iraq, has publicly endorsed the charge of Moharebeh against President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and others.

(11) Ahmad Khatami, a member of the Guardian Council and Assembly of Experts and Interim Friday Prayer Leader of Tehran, has been sanctioned by the European Union for human rights abuses due to his egregious conduct and is reported to have called for the executions of President Donald J. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

(12) Mohsen Araki, a member of the Assembly of Experts and Expediency Council and the Supreme Leader’s former representative to the United Kingdom and head of the Islamic Center of England, has threated President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by saying “their lives and property are no longer protected”.

(13) Mohsen Araki declared the United States Government, including President Donald J. Trump, as a “hostile infidel government by all Muslims”.

(14) The Qom Seminary, and including the organization’s head Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, has endorsed Moharebeh Fatwas against President Donald J. Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu, and others. Statements released through Qom’s Seminary’s press office and signed by hundreds to thousands of clerics, professors, and students describe President Donald J. Trump’s “blood wealth” as religiously permissible, effectively signaling their willingness to see the fatwa carried out.

(15) These Fatwas and charges of Moharebeh by senior clerical leaders from Iran’s state-linked clerical institutions and religious leaders are a clear incitement of violence and consequently endanger the lives of President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, thus imperiling the national security of the United States and Israel.

(a) In general.— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, not later than 2 years thereafter, the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a determination as to whether the foreign persons described in subsection (b) meet the criteria for sanctions described in subsection (c) based on their role in issuing and amplifying fatwas advocating for violence, including as the fatwas relate to the deaths of President Donald J. Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and other political leaders.

(b) Foreign persons described.— The foreign persons described in this subsection include the following:

(1) Ayatollah Naser Makarem-Shirazi.

(2) Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani.

(3) Ayatollah Hossein Mazaheri.

(4) Ayatollah Ja’far Sobhani.

(5) Alireza Panahian.

(6) Ayatollah Abbas Kaabi.

(7) Abdolmajid Kharghani.

(8) Ahmad Khatami.

(9) Mohsen Araki.

(10) Ayatollah Alireza Arafi.

(11) Qom Seminary (Howzeh Elmieh Qom).

(12) Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).

(13) Assembly of Experts.

(14) Expediency and Discernment Council.

(15) Guardian Council.

(16) Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda.

(17) Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom (Jaameh Modaresin Howzeh Elmieh Qom).

(18) Hojjat al-Eslam Amin Assadpour.

(c) Sanctions described.— The sanctions described in this subsection are the following:

(1) Blocking of property.— The President shall exercise all authorities granted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the extent necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in property and interests in property of foreign persons described in subsection (b) if such property and interests in property are in the United States, come within the United States, or come within the possession or control of a United States person.

(2) Ineligibility for visas, admission, or parole.—

(A) Visas, admission, or parole.— An alien described in subsection (b) shall be—

(i) inadmissible to the United States;

(ii) ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation to enter the United States; and

(iii) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into the United States or to receive any other benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).

(B) Current visas revoked.—

(i) In general.— The visa or other entry documentation of any alien described in subsection (b) shall be revoked regardless of the issue date of the visa or other entry documentation.

(ii) Immediate effect.— A revocation under clause (i) shall, in accordance with section 221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i))—

(I) take effect immediately; and

(II) cancel any other valid visa or entry documentation that is in the possession of the alien.

(d) Penalties.— Any person that violates, or attempts to violate, subsection (c) or any regulation, license, or order issued pursuant to that subsection, shall be subject to the penalties set forth in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) to the same extent as a person that commits an unlawful act described in subsection (a) of that section.

(e) Waiver.— The President may waive the application of sanctions under this section with respect to a foreign person if, not later than 15 days after the date on which the waiver is to take effect, the President submits to the appropriate congressional committees a written determination and justification that the waiver is in the national security interests of the United States.

(f) Implementation.— The President may exercise all authorities provided under sections 203 and 205 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) to carry out any amendments made by this section.

(g) Regulations.— The President shall, not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, promulgate regulations as necessary for the implementation of this Act.

(h) Exceptions.—

(1) Exception for intelligence activities.— Sanctions under this section shall not apply to any activity subject to the reporting requirements under title V of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3091 et seq.) or any authorized intelligence activities of the United States.

(2) Exception to comply with international obligations and for law enforcement activities.— Sanctions under this section shall not apply with respect to an alien if admitting or paroling the alien into the United States is necessary—

(A) to permit the United States to comply with the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, between the United Nations and the United States, or other applicable international obligations; or

(B) to carry out or assist authorized law enforcement activity in the United States.

(3) Exception relating to importation of goods.—

(A) In general.— The authorities and requirements to impose sanctions authorized under this section shall not include the authority or requirement to impose sanctions on the importation of goods.

(B) Good defined.— In this paragraph, the term “good” means any article, natural or manmade substance, material, supply or manufactured product, including inspection and test equipment, and excluding technical data.

(i) Termination of sanctions.— This section shall cease to be effective beginning on the date that is 30 days after the date on which the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the Government of Iran no longer repeatedly provides support for international terrorism as determined by the Secretary of State pursuant to—

(1) section 1754(c)(1)(A) of the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 4813(c)(1)(A));

(2) section 620A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2371);

(3) section 40 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2780); or

(4) any other provision of law.

(j) Definitions.— In this section—

(1) the term appropriate congressional committees means—

(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Financial Services, and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives; and

(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate;

(2) the term foreign person—

(A) means an individual or entity that is not a United States person; and

(B) includes a foreign state (as such term is defined in section 1603 of title 28, United States Code);

(3) the term Government of Iran has the meaning given such term in section 560.304 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, as such section was in effect on January 1, 2021; and

(4) the term United States person means—

(A) a United States citizen;

(B) a permanent resident alien of the United States;

(C) an entity organized under the laws of the United States or of any jurisdiction within the United States, including a foreign branch of such an entity; or

(D) a person in the United States.