The Takeaway: Republicans to dial up Iran pressure in 2023
Plus, Israeli officials were surprised by the reported FBI investigation into Shireen Abu Akleh's death, and the US blames Iran for a drone attack in the Gulf of Oman.
Republicans on track to wrest control of the House of Representatives plan to use their agenda-setting powers in the lower chamber next year to hammer President Joe Biden on Iran and undermine already fading prospects for a renewed nuclear deal.
Republican lawmakers are expected to introduce a wave of standalone bills, as well as measures in the annual National Defense Authorization Act, aimed at further punishing Iran’s rights violators and impeding its illicit revenue generation.
A senior Republican congressional aide familiar with the efforts predicted some bipartisan support for inserting provisions into must-pass bills that would require enforcement actions and additional human rights- and terrorism-related sanctions, including on entities and individuals associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Central Bank of Iran and the National Iranian Oil Company.
“There are a lot of Democrats who wanted to vote for Iran stuff and have been vocal, but the Democratic leadership never put Iran sanctions on the floor,” the aide said of the political realignment. “We can get a lot more of this stuff to the president than people realize.”
