US House passes series of Iran-related bills after attack on Israel

Legislation includes resolution establishing that the slogan 'from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free' is anti-Semitic

The US Capitol building in Washington. Reuters

The US House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a series of Iran-related bills after Tehran's attack on Israel at the weekend.

The bills included the Holding Iranian Leaders Accountable Act, which requires US President Joe Biden to report on and publish the assets of certain Iranian government officials and terrorist leaders.

They also include the No Technology for Terror Act, which would permanently ban the export of US-made tech to Tehran.

The legislation follows an attack by Tehran on Israel on Saturday, when more than 300 missiles and drones were launched from Iranian territory and other countries by Iran-backed proxies.

Iran said the strike was in retaliation for an Israeli attack on an Iranian embassy compound in Damascus that resulted in the deaths of high-ranking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officials.

The US, which along with allies assisted Israel in shooting down the drones and missiles, quickly condemned the attack.

Other sanctions-related bills passed by the House focus on ensuring people and companies cannot avoid punitive economic measures.

The legislation also included a resolution establishing that “the slogan 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free' is anti-Semitic and its use must be condemned”.

There is no indication that the Senate will pass any of the measures.

Meanwhile, political infighting continues in the House over a funding package that includes aid for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan.

Instead of bringing a long-waiting bipartisan foreign aid bill to the House for a final vote after it passed the Senate this year, House Speaker Mike Johnson is in the process of drafting four bills to split the larger package.