IV

107TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. RES. 504

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives concerning the continuous repression of freedoms within Iran and of individual human rights

abuses, particularly with regard to women.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JULY 25, 2002

Mr. LANTOS submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the

Committee on International Relations

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives concerning the continuous repression of freedoms within

Iran and of individual human rights abuses, particularly

with regard to women.

Whereas the people of the United States respect the Iranian

people and value the contributions that Iran’s culture has

made to world civilization for over 3 millennia;

Whereas the Iranian people aspire to democracy, civil, political, and religious rights, and the rule of law, as evidenced by increasingly frequent antigovernment and antiKhatami demonstrations within Iran and by statements

of numerous Iranian expatriates and dissidents;

Whereas Iran is an ideological dictatorship presided over by

an unelected Supreme Leader with limitless veto power,
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an unelected Expediency Council and Council of Guardians capable of eviscerating any reforms, and a President

elected only after the aforementioned disqualified 234

other candidates for being too liberal, reformist, or secular;

Whereas the United States recognizes the Iranian peoples’

concerns that President Muhammad Khatami’s rhetoric

has not been matched by his actions;

Whereas President Khatami clearly lacks the ability and inclination to change the behavior of the Islamic Republic of

Iran either toward the vast majority of Iranians who seek

freedom or toward the international community;

Whereas political repression, newspaper censorship, corruption, vigilante intimidation, arbitrary imprisonment of

students, and public executions have increased since

President Khatami’s inauguration in 1997;

Whereas men and women are not equal under the laws of

Iran and women are legally deprived of their basic rights;

Whereas the Iranian Government shipped 50 tons of sophisticated weaponry to the Palestinian Authority despite

Chairman Arafat’s cease-fire agreement, consistently

seeks to undermine the Middle East peace process, provides safe-haven to al-Qa’ida and Taliban terrorists, allows transit of arms for guerrillas seeking to undermine

Turkey, an ally of the United States, provides transit for

terrorists seeking to destabilize the United States-protected safe-haven in Iraq, and develops weapons of mass

destruction;

Whereas since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001,

and despite rhetorical protestations to the contrary, the
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Government of Iran has actively and repeatedly sought to

undermine the United States war on terror;

Whereas there is a broad-based movement for change in Iran

that represents all sectors of Iranian society, including

youth, women, student bodies, military personnel, and

even religious figures, that is prodemocratic, believes in

secular government, and is yearning to live in freedom;

Whereas following the tragedies of September 11, 2001, tens

of thousands of Iranians filled the streets spontaneously

and in solidarity with the United States and the victims

of the terrorist attacks; and

Whereas the people of Iran deserve the support of the people

of the United States: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that—

3 (1) legitimizing the regime in Iran stifles the

4 growth of the genuine democratic forces in Iran and

5 does not serve the national security interest of the

6 United States;

7 (2) positive gestures of the United States to8 ward Iran should be directed toward the people of

9 Iran, and not political figures whose survival de10 pends upon preservation of the current regime; and

11 (3) it should be the policy of the United States

12 to seek a genuine democratic government in Iran

13 that will restore freedom to the Iranian people,
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1 abandon terrorism, and live in peace and security

2 with the international community.

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