Official Summaries

The resolution urges the E3 (the United Kingdom, France, and Germany) to invoke the snapback of United Nations (UN) sanctions against Iran under UN Security Council Resolution 2231 before the option expires on October 18, 2025. 

This resolution also (1) recognizes that Iran's possession of a nuclear weapon would threaten U.S. and global security, (2) condemns Iran's repeated violations of certain international commitments related to nuclear weapons, and (3) reaffirms that the United States maintains the right to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Current Full Text

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 139 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 139

Calling on the United Kingdom, France, and Germany (E3) to initiate the 
  snapback of sanctions on Iran under United Nations Security Council 
                        Resolution 2231 (2015).


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 14, 2025

   Ms. Tenney (for herself, Mr. Gottheimer, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. 
  LaMalfa, and Mr. Wilson of South Carolina) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Calling on the United Kingdom, France, and Germany (E3) to initiate the 
  snapback of sanctions on Iran under United Nations Security Council 
                        Resolution 2231 (2015).

Whereas, on July 15, 2015, the P5+1 (the United States, the United Kingdom, 
        France, the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, and 
        Germany), the European Union, and the Islamic Republic of Iran finalized 
        the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA);
Whereas the JCPOA required the Government of Iran to implement constraints on 
        its uranium enrichment and heavy water nuclear reactor programs, as well 
        as allow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to monitor 
        compliance with the agreement;
Whereas, on July 20, 2015, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) passed 
        Resolution 2231 (UNSCR 2231), which endorsed the JCPOA and provided for 
        the termination of all previous UNSC resolutions targeting Iran's 
        nuclear program (1696, 1737, 1747, 1803 1835, and 1929), while 
        maintaining United Nation's arms restrictions on Iran for 5 years and 
        United Nation's prohibitions on Iran's missile and drone activity for 8 
        years;
Whereas, pursuant to the JCPOA, Iran received significant sanctions relief from 
        the previous sanctions imposed by the European Union, the United States, 
        and previous UNSC resolutions;
Whereas Iran used this sanctions relief to fund its terrorist proxies, regional 
        aggression, and its expansion of its ballistic missile program;
Whereas, on May 8, 2018, President Trump announced the United States was ceasing 
        its participation in the JCPOA and reimposing sanctions against Iran 
        that had been previously waived;
Whereas President Trump's successful maximum pressure campaign imposed 
        significant financial costs on Iran's regime ``to alter its course of 
        malign activities and ensure that Iranian bad acts are no longer 
        rewarded'';
Whereas, Iran has repeatedly violated the terms of the JCPOA and UNSCR 2231, 
        including by--

    (1) lifting the cap on its stockpile of uranium;

    (2) increasing its enrichment activities to 60 percent purity, 
expanding its enrichment capabilities;

    (3) resuming its activity at prohibited nuclear facilities; and

    (4) preventing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from being 
able to effectively monitor its nuclear activities;

Whereas, Iran repeatedly violated UNSCR 2231's restrictions on ballistic missile 
        testing and development, as well as United Nations-imposed and 
        internationally binding arms export and import embargoes;
Whereas UNSCR 2231 includes a formal mechanism for a participant state of the 
        JCPOA, if it believes there has been significant non-performance of 
        commitments under the JCPOA by Iran, to trigger a process that would 
        require the UNSC to ``snapback'' all United Nation sanctions on Iran 
        that has been lifted pursuant to UNSCR 2231;
Whereas, on September 14, 2024, in a joint statement, the United States and 
        United Kingdom acknowledged publicly that Iran's nuclear program ``has 
        never been more advanced and posed a clear threat to regional and global 
        peace and security'';
Whereas, in June and November of 2024, in efforts led by France, Germany, the 
        United Kingdom (E3), and the United States, the IAEA's Board of 
        Governors voted to censure Iran for non-compliance with its obligations 
        under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, done at 
        Washington, London, and Moscow July 1, 1968 (commonly referred to as the 
        ``Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty'' or ``NPT'');
Whereas, on December 9, 2024, the E3 sent a letter to the United Nations 
        Security Council stating, ``We reiterate our determination to use all 
        diplomatic tools to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, 
        including using snapback if necessary.'';
Whereas, on January 6, 2025, President of France Emmanuel Macron said the 
        acceleration of Iran's nuclear program was ``bringing us very close to 
        the breaking point'' and said, ``We will have to ask ourselves whether 
        to use the mechanism for re-establishing sanctions. We are ready to do 
        so if the question arises.'';
Whereas, on January 23, 2025, the Director General of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, 
        said that Iran has increased production of 60 percent enriched uranium 
        from 7 kilograms to over 30 kilograms per month, and currently possess 
        about 200 kilograms, which if enriched to 90 percent would amount to at 
        least 5 nuclear weapons; and
Whereas, under UNSCR 2231, the resolution, including the ``snapback'' mechanism, 
        terminates 10 years after Adoption Day for the JCPOA, which will be 
        October 18, 2025: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes that Iran's possession of a nuclear weapon 
        would threaten not only the security of the United States, but 
        global security at large, including United States allies and 
        partners in Europe and the Middle East;
            (2) condemns the Government of Iran's flagrant and repeated 
        violations of commitments it made under the JCPOA and its 
        international obligations under UNSCR 2231;
            (3) condemns the Russian Federation and the People's 
        Republic of China, who remain participants in the JCPOA, for 
        their role in supporting Iran's malign activities;
            (4) reaffirms that the United States Government maintains 
        the right to take any necessary measures to prevent the 
        Government of Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons;
            (5) supports the imposition and enforcement of robust 
        sanctions on Iran for it nuclear and missile programs and on 
        entities and individuals involved in these programs to deter 
        further proliferation efforts; and
            (6) urges the E3 to invoke the ``snapback'' of United 
        Nations sanctions against Iran under UNSCR 2231 as soon as 
        possible before the option expires on October 18, 2025.
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