IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 709 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Iran, by failing 

to adhere to international maritime law, ignoring United Nations resolutions, and conducting military operations in a manner that raises tensions 

within the Arabian Gulf, has undermined stability in the Arabian Gulf, 

raised the danger of inadvertent escalation, and increased the risk to 

members of the United States Armed Forces overseas. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 28, 2016 

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

Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 

Iran, by failing to adhere to international maritime law, 

ignoring United Nations resolutions, and conducting military operations in a manner that raises tensions within 

the Arabian Gulf, has undermined stability in the Arabian Gulf, raised the danger of inadvertent escalation, 

and increased the risk to members of the United States 

Armed Forces overseas. 

Whereas Iranian military and paramilitary vessels have repeatedly behaved in a dangerous and unprofessional manner in close proximity to naval vessels and commercial 

shipping operating in internationally recognized maritime 

traffic lanes; 


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2 

•HRES 709 IH 

Whereas Iranian forces did conduct live firing exercises within 1500 yards of the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier Harry S. 

Truman in December 2015; 

Whereas Iranian military aircraft flew over the Harry S. Truman and the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in 

January 2016; 

Whereas, on January 12, 2016, Iranian forces illegally 

boarded and detained at gunpoint the crews of two U.S. 

Navy riverine combat boats that were in distress; 

Whereas Iranian actions on January 12 violated international 

maritime law and practice regarding the right of innocent 

passage and the sovereign immunity of naval vessels; and 

Whereas United States Armed Forces in the Arabian Gulf 

have continuously acted in accordance with international 

law and maritime practice, to include assisting Iranian 

mariners in distress: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) believes that the actions of Iranian military 

3 and paramilitary forces in the Arabian Gulf under4 mined stability in the Arabian Gulf, raised the dan5 ger of inadvertent escalation and increased the risk 

6 to members of the United States Armed Forces 

7 overseas; 

8 (2) calls on the military and paramilitary forces 

9 of Iran to act in accordance with international law 

10 and standards for conduct at sea; 


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3 

•HRES 709 IH 

1 (3) urges the Administration to strongly re2 spond to past and future instances of dangerous and 

3 unprofessional behavior by Iranian forces; and 

4 (4) pledges to consider the behavior of Iranian 

5 military and paramilitary forces, along with other 

6 relevant considerations, when considering or debat7 ing any legislation that pertains to Iran, including 

8 sanctions and arms control agreements. 

Æ 


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