Iran Payments Accountability Act of 2018

To require the Director of National Intelligence to seek to determine if the Government of Iran has used certain funds received by reason of sanctions relief pursuant to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or cash payments conveyed by the United States in early 2016 to sponsor foreign terrorist organizations, facilitate illicit narcotics activities, or conduct military operations in Syria, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Iran Payments Accountability Act of 2018 2. Determination and report on use of funds received by the Government of Iran by reason of sanctions relief pursuant to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or cash payments conveyed by the United States in early 2016 (a) Determination (1) In general The Director of National Intelligence shall seek to determine if the Government of Iran has used any of the funds described in paragraph (2)— (A) to sponsor any foreign terrorist organization, including Hamas, Hezbollah, or Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps; (B) to engage in violence or hostilities against United States nationals or members of the United States Armed Forces; (C) to conduct military operations in Syria; or (D) to facilitate illicit narcotics activities. (2) Funds described Funds described in this paragraph are— (A) funds received by reason of any action involving any measure of statutory sanctions relief by the United States pursuant to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action; and (B) cash payments totaling $1,700,000,000 conveyed by the United States Government to the Government of Iran in early 2016. (b) Report (1) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of National Intelligence shall submit to Congress a report that contains— (A) the determination of the Director required under subsection (a) and a justification for the determination; and (B) a description of whether the cash payments described in subsection (a)(2)(B)— (i) constituted an exchange of cash payments for hostages; or (ii) were discussed as part of negotiations for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. (2) Form The report required under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain a classified annex. 3. Actions to demand repayment of funds from the Government of Iran (a) Initial actions If the determination of the Director of National Intelligence contained in the report submitted to Congress under section 2 is an affirmative determination, the Secretary of State shall immediately demand repayment of funds described in section 2(a)(2) from the Government of Iran. (b) Subsequent actions Until such time as funds described in section 2(a)(2) are repaid by the Government of Iran, the Secretary of State shall continue to take actions to prioritize repayment of such funds, including actions to leverage repayment of such funds in future diplomatic engagements with the Government of Iran and through imposition of new or increased sanctions against Iran. 4. Definitions In this Act: (1) Action involving any measure of statutory sanctions relief by the United States The term action involving any measure of statutory sanctions relief by the United States Public Law 114–17 (2) Foreign terrorist organization The term foreign terrorist organization 8 U.S.C. 1189(a) (3) Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action The term Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action Public Law 114–17

Summary: Iran Payments Accountability Act of 2018 This bill requires the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to determine if the Government of Iran uses certain funds to: (1) sponsor any foreign terrorist organization or Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, (2) engage in violence or hostilities against U.S. civilians or service members, (3) conduct military operations in Syria, or (4) facilitate illicit narcotics activities. The applicable funds are those received by Iran as sanction relief or as a cash payment from the United States in 2016. The Department of State must demand repayment of funds from the Government of Iran if the ODNI determines funds were used for such actions.