Imposition of sanctions with respect to Iranian persons threatening peace or stability in Iraq

(a)

Sense of congress

It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of State should continue to implement Executive Order 13438 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking property of certain persons who threaten stabilization efforts in Iraq). (b)

Imposition of sanctions

The President shall impose the sanctions described in subsection (c)(1)(A) and the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or a designee of one of such Secretaries) shall impose the sanctions described in subsection (c)(1)(B) with respect to any Iranian person that the President, acting through the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or a designee of one of such Secretaries), as the case may be, determines— (1)to have knowingly committed, or to pose a significant risk of committing, an act or acts of violence that have the purpose or effect of— (A)threatening the peace or stability of Iraq or the Government of Iraq; (B)undermining or attempting to undermine, co-opt, or confound the democratic process in Iraq; or (C)undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq or to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people; (2)has knowingly materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, any activity described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of paragraph (1); or (3)is owned or controlled by, or has acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, a foreign person that has carried out any activity described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of paragraph (1) or paragraph (2). (c)

Sanctions described

(1)

In general

The sanctions described in this subsection are the following: (A)

Asset blocking

The exercise of all powers granted to the President by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the extent necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in all property and interests in property of an entity determined by the President to be subject to subsection (b) if such property and interests in property are in the United States, come within the United States, or are or come within the possession or control of a United States person. (B)

Aliens ineligible for visas, admission, or parole

(i)

Visas, admission, or parole

An alien who the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or a designee of one of such Secretaries) knows or has reasonable grounds to believe meets any of the criteria described in subsection (b) is— (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.). (ii)

Current visas revoked

(I)

In general

Any visa or other documentation issued to an alien who is an Iranian person on the list required under subsection (b), regardless of when such visa or other documentation was issued, shall be revoked and such alien shall be denied admission to the United States. (II)

Effect of revocation

A revocation under subclause (I) shall take effect immediately and shall automatically cancel any other valid visa or entry documentation that is in the alien’s possession. (2)

Inapplicability of national emergency requirement

The requirements of section 202 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701) shall not apply for purposes of the imposition of sanctions under this section. (3)

Penalties

A person that is subject to sanctions described in paragraph (1)(A) shall be subject to the penalties set forth in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency Economic 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. (4)

Exception to comply with united nations headquarters agreement

Sanctions under paragraph (1)(B) shall not apply to an alien if admitting the alien into the United States is necessary 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. (d)

Waiver

The President may, on a case-by-case basis and for periods not to exceed 90 days, waive the application of sanctions in this section with respect to an Iranian person if the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees at least 15 days before such waiver is to take effect that such waiver is vital to the national security interests of the United States. (e)

Implementation authority

The President may exercise all authorities provided to the President under sections 203 and 205 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) for purposes of carrying out this section. (f)

Regulatory authority

(1)

In general

The President shall, not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, promulgate regulations as necessary for the implementation of this section. (2)

Notification to congress

Not less than 10 days before the promulgation of regulations under paragraph (1), the President shall notify and provide to the appropriate congressional committees the proposed regulations and the provisions of this section that the regulations are implementing. (g)

Definitions

In this section— (1)

Appropriate congressional committees

The term appropriate congressional committees means— (A)the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on Ways and Means, and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives; and (B)the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate. (2)

Iranian person

The term Iranian person means— (A)an individual who is a citizen or national of Iran; and (B)an entity organized under the laws of Iran or otherwise subject to the jurisdiction of the Government of Iran. (3)

United states person

The term United States person has the meaning given that term in section 576.317 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on June 22, 2016. (4)

Admitted; alien

The terms admitted and alien have the meanings given those terms in section 101(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(3)). (5)

Knowingly

The term knowingly, with respect to conduct, a circumstance, or a result, means that a person has actual knowledge, or should have known, of the conduct, the circumstance, or the result. (6)

Government of iraq

The term Government of Iraq has the meaning given that term in section 576.310 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on June 22, 2016. (7)

Person

The term person has the meaning given that term in section 576.311 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on June 22, 2016. (8)

Property; property interest

The terms property and property interest have the meanings given those terms in section 576.312 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on June 22, 2016. (h)

Sunset

This section shall cease to be effective beginning on January 1, 2022.

Report on activities of the Government of Iran in Iraq

(a)

Report

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter for a period not to exceed 5 years, the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on activities of the Government of Iran in Iraq. (b)

Matters To be included

The report required by subsection (a) shall include a description of the following: (1)The Government of Iran’s support for Iraqi militias or political parties, including weapons, financing, and other forms of material support. (2)A list of referrals to the relevant United Nations Security Council sanctions committees by the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations. (3)Iranian persons that are in Iraq despite the asset freeze and visa ban sanctions imposed against such entities pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231. (4)Iraqi persons that have aided, abetted, or facilitated the Government of Iran’s transport of personnel, money, and munitions into Syria to aid the regime of Bashar al-Assad. (5)Iraqi financial institutions that are providing credit, loans, or other assistance to Government of Iran-backed irregular or militia forces responsible for engaging in activities described in section 3(b). (6)Actions taken by the Government of Iran to influence Shia institutions in Najaf, Iraq. (c)

Form

The report required by subsection (a) shall be submitted in classified form if it is determined that it is necessary for the national security interests of the United States to do so. (d)

Definition

In this section, the term appropriate congressional committees means— (1)the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Ways and Means, and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives; and (2)the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Finance, and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate.