After extended delays and resistance, the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee has finally scheduled a formal markup hearing for the MAHSA Act, a bill aimed at imposing sanctions on Iran’s leaders.
The bipartisan Mahsa Amini Human Rights and Security Accountability Act, also known as the MAHSA Act, received overwhelming support in the House of Representatives back in September 2023. However, progress on the bill has been stalled in the Senate until now.
Earlier in December, Iranian-American activists raised concerns that Senator Ben Cardin, the Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was obstructing the advancement of the bill. Following mounting pressure, the Committee’s website has now confirmed that a markup session is slated for Tuesday, April 16.
The MAHSA Act, boasting support from 68 Republicans and 60 Democrats, has garnered backing from organizations like the National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI), United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). This legislation was initially introduced by Representatives Jim Banks (R-IN) and Eric Swalwell (D-CA) during the 117th Congress, in the wake of pro-democracy movements spurred by the tragic death of Iranian-Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini.
In essence, the MAHSA Act mirrors its House counterpart, compelling the administration to regularly brief Congress on the enforcement of specified sanctions. Notably, this bill could trigger sanctions against Ali Khamenei, Ebrahim Raisi, key officials, and entities linked to Iran’s Supreme Leader.
The bipartisan push across both chambers underscores a unified effort to hold Iran’s leadership accountable and to address human rights violations in the country.
