Four U.S. Legislators Call for Swift Implementation of 'Mahsa Law'

Four Republican lawmakers in the U.S. have called for the rapid implementation of the 'Mahsa Law' and the 'SHIP Act' and for maximum pressure to be applied on members of the 'Iranian regime' through human rights and financial sanctions. Senators Marco Rubio and James Risch, along with Representatives Jim Banks and Mike Lawler, criticized the non-implementation of these two laws in a letter addressed to President Joe Biden, a Democrat. The letter, published on Thursday, September 20, states: 'The Tehran regime has long used revenue from the oil industries to continuously suppress the people of Iran and fund its terrorist campaigns against the U.S., Israel, and other allies and partners in the Middle East.' These four Republican lawmakers have mentioned the deadlines for the implementation of the 'Mahsa Law' and the 'SHIP Act' as August 24 and September 22 of this year, respectively. They pointed to the increase in Iran's oil export revenues as a source of funding for 'terrorist actions' and the rising number of executions in Iran in recent months, accusing the Biden administration of 'inaction' in this regard. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has recently imposed a new round of sanctions related to human rights violations and the violent suppression of the Iranian people against 12 officials of the Islamic Republic. The U.S. Treasury Department also reported on September 11 the sanctioning of 20 individuals, entities, and ships related to the delivery of parts and weapon systems from Iran to Russia. Earlier, on April 24 of this year, President Biden officially enacted the 'Mahsa Law,' passed by Congress, as part of a national security package. The 'Mahsa Law,' short for the 'Accountability for Human Rights and Security of Mahsa Amini,' mandates the President to impose sanctions in the form of visa bans and asset seizures for foreign nationals associated with Iran. Under this law, senior officials of the Iranian government, including Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, and related institutions, are sanctioned for 'human rights violations' and 'support for terrorism.' The 'SHIP Act' also sanctions ports, ships, and refineries involved in transactions of sanctioned Iranian oil products that are considered a source of significant profits for the Islamic Republic. The U.S. has imposed new human rights sanctions against institutions and officials of the Islamic Republic.