I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 783 
To enhance diplomacy with Iran to peacefully prevent Iran from acquiring 
nuclear weapons, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 15, 2013 
Ms. LEE of California (for herself, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. JOHN-
SON of Georgia, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. RUSH, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. 
DINGELL, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. HOLT, and Mr. MORAN) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To enhance diplomacy with Iran to peacefully prevent Iran 
from acquiring nuclear weapons, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Prevent Iran from Ac-
quiring Nuclear Weapons and Stop War Through Diplo-
macy Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) In his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech 
on December 10, 2009, President Obama said, ‘‘I 
know that engagement with repressive regimes lacks 
the satisfying purity of indignation. But I also know 
that sanctions without outreach—and condemnation 
without discussion—can carry forward a crippling 
status quo. No repressive regime can move down a 
new path unless it has the choice of an open door.’’. 
(2) President Obama stated on November 14, 
2012, that, ‘‘With respect to Iran, I very much want 
to see a diplomatic resolution to the problem. I was 
very clear before the campaign, I was clear during 
the campaign and I’m now clear after the cam-
paign—we’re not going to let Iran get a nuclear 
weapon. But I think there is still a window of time 
for us to resolve this diplomatically. We’ve imposed 
the toughest sanctions in history. It is having an im-
pact on Iran’s economy. There should be a way in 
which they can enjoy peaceful nuclear power while 
still meeting their international obligations and pro-
viding clear assurances to the international commu-
nity that they’re not pursuing a nuclear weapon.’’. 
(3) While the United States has engaged in di-
rect negotiations with Iran without preconditions 
under the Obama Administration, official represent-
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atives of the United States and official representa-
tives of Iran have held only two direct, bilateral 
meetings in over 30 years, both of which occurred in 
October 2009, one on the sidelines of the United 
Nations Security Council negotiations in Geneva, 
and one on the sidelines of negotiations brokered by 
the United Nations International Atomic Energy 
Agency (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘IAEA’’) in 
Vienna. 
(4) Resolving all of the outstanding issues be-
tween the United States and Iran cannot be 
achieved instantaneously and will require a robust, 
sustained diplomatic effort involving multilateral and 
bilateral negotiations. 
(5) Under the Department of State’s current 
‘‘no contact’’ policy, officers and employees of the 
Department of State are not permitted to make any 
direct contact with official representatives of the 
Government of Iran without express prior authoriza-
tion from the Secretary of State. 
(6) On September 20, 2011, then-Chairman of 
the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen called 
for establishing direct communications with Iran, 
stating, ‘‘I’m talking about any channel that’s open. 
We’ve not had a direct link of communication with 
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Iran since 1979. And I think that has planted many 
seeds for miscalculation. When you miscalculate, you 
can escalate and misunderstand.’’. 
(7) While the International Atomic Energy 
Agency continues to verify the non-diversion of de-
clared nuclear material in Iran and has inspectors 
and monitoring devices located at Iranian nuclear 
facilities, the agency has expressed concerns regard-
ing Iran’s past and ongoing nuclear work that can 
only be resolved through increased transparency, 
more robust safeguards, and a more vigorous inspec-
tions regime. 
(8) On October 3, 2012, former Secretary of 
Defense Robert Gates stated, ‘‘The results of an 
American or Israeli military strike on Iran could, in 
my view, prove catastrophic, haunting us for genera-
tions in that part of the world.’’, adding that 
‘‘[S]uch an attack would make a nuclear-armed Iran 
inevitable. They would just bury the program deeper 
and make it more covert.’’. 
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
It should be the policy of the United States— 
(1) to prevent Iran from pursuing or acquiring 
a nuclear weapon and to resolve the concerns of the 
United States and of the international community 
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about Iran’s nuclear program and Iran’s human 
rights obligations under international and Iranian 
law; 
(2) to ensure inspection of suspected prohibited 
cargo to or from Iran, as well as the seizure and dis-
posal of prohibited items, as authorized by United 
Nations Security Council Resolution 1929 (June 9, 
2010); 
(3) to pursue sustained, direct, bilateral nego-
tiations with the Government of Iran without pre-
conditions in order to reduce tensions, prevent war, 
prevent nuclear proliferation, support human rights, 
and seek resolutions to issues that concern the 
United States and the international community; 
(4) to utilize all diplomatic tools, including en-
gaging in direct bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, 
leveraging sanctions, engaging in Track II diplo-
macy, creating a special envoy described in section 
4, and enlisting the support of all interested parties 
to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran and to prevent war; 
(5) to secure an agreement that ensures Iran 
does not engage in nuclear weapons work and that 
Iran’s nuclear enrichment program is verifiably lim-
ited to civilian purposes through the implementation 
of robust safeguards and enhanced IAEA inspec-
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tions, including through the implementation of the 
Additional Protocol; 
(6) to pursue opportunities to build mutual 
trust and to foster sustained negotiations in good 
faith with Iran and to explore areas of mutual ben-
efit to both Iran and the United States, such as re-
gional security, the long-term stabilization of Iraq 
and Afghanistan, the establishment of a framework 
for peaceful nuclear energy production, other peace-
ful energy modernization programs, and counter- 
narcotics efforts; and 
(7) that no funds appropriated or otherwise 
made available to any executive agency of the Gov-
ernment of the United States may be used to carry 
out any military operation or activity against Iran 
unless the President determines that a military oper-
ation or activity is warranted and seeks express 
prior authorization by Congress, as required under 
article I, section 8, clause 2 of the United States 
Constitution, which grants Congress the sole author-
ity to declare war, except that this requirement shall 
not apply to a military operation or activity— 
(A) to directly repel an offensive military 
action launched from within the territory of 
Iran against the United States or any ally with 
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which the United States has a mutual defense 
assistance agreement; 
(B) in hot pursuit of forces that engage in 
an offensive military action outside the territory 
of Iran against United States forces or an ally 
with which the United States has a mutual de-
fense assistance agreement and then enter into 
the territory of Iran; or 
(C) to directly thwart an imminent offen-
sive military action to be launched from within 
the territory of Iran against United States 
forces or an ally with which the United States 
has a mutual defense assistance agreement. 
SEC. 4. APPOINTMENT OF HIGH-LEVEL UNITED STATES 
REPRESENTATIVE OR SPECIAL ENVOY. 
(a) APPOINTMENT.—At the earliest possible date, the 
President, in consultation with the Secretary of State, 
shall appoint a high-level United States representative or 
special envoy for Iran. 
(b) CRITERIA FOR APPOINTMENT.—The President 
shall appoint an individual under subsection (a) on the 
basis of such individual’s knowledge and understanding of 
Iran and the issues regarding Iran’s nuclear program, ex-
perience in conducting international negotiations, and 
ability to conduct negotiations under subsection (c) with 
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the respect and trust of the parties involved in such nego-
tiations. 
(c) DUTIES.—The high-level United States represent-
ative or special envoy for Iran shall— 
(1) seek to facilitate direct, unconditional, bilat-
eral, and multilateral negotiations with Iran for the 
purpose of easing tensions and normalizing relations 
between the United States and Iran; 
(2) lead the diplomatic efforts of the United 
States with regard to Iran; 
(3) consult with other countries and inter-
national organizations, including countries in the re-
gion, where appropriate and when necessary to 
achieve the purpose specified in paragraph (1); 
(4) act as liaison with United States and inter-
national intelligence agencies where appropriate and 
when necessary to achieve the purpose specified in 
paragraph (1); and 
(5) ensure that the bilateral negotiations under 
paragraph (1) complement the ongoing international 
negotiations with Iran. 
SEC. 5. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE. 
(a) ELIMINATION OF ‘‘NO CONTACT’’ POLICY.—Not 
later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of State shall rescind the ‘‘no contact’’ 
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policy that prevents officers and employees of the Depart-
ment of State from making any direct contact with official 
representatives of the Government of Iran without express 
prior authorization from the Secretary of State. 
(b) OFFICE OF HIGH-LEVEL UNITED STATES REP-
RESENTATIVE OR SPECIAL ENVOY.—Not later than 30 
days after the appointment of a high-level United States 
representative or special envoy under section 4, the Sec-
retary of State shall establish an office in the Department 
of State for the purpose of supporting the work of such 
representative or special envoy. 
SEC. 6. REPORTING TO CONGRESS. 
(a) REPORTS.—Not later than 60 days after the 
high-level United States representative or special envoy for 
Iran is appointed under section 4 and every 180 days 
thereafter, such United States representative or special 
envoy shall submit to the committees specified in sub-
section (b) a report on the steps that have been taken to 
facilitate direct, unconditional, bilateral, and multilateral 
negotiations with the Government of Iran under section 
4(c). Each such report may, when necessary or appro-
priate, be submitted in classified and unclassified form. 
(b) COMMITTEES.—The committees referred to in 
subsection (a) are— 
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(1) the Committee on Appropriations, the Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Armed 
Services, and the Permanent Select Committee on 
Intelligence of the House of Representatives; and 
(2) the Committee on Appropriations, the Com-
mittee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on 
Armed Services, and the Select Committee on Intel-
ligence of the Senate. 
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this Act such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal 
years 2013 and 2014. 
Æ 
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