Republican Representatives in the House Formulate Widespread Sanctions Package Against Iran and Middle East Allies • Proposal May Press the Trump administration to tighten sanctions

• Washington Capitol. The bill is not expected to pass in its current form but to pressure the Trump administration

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Republicans in Congress are expected to introduce a bill that includes a wide-ranging sanctions package against Iran and its allies, the United Nations newspaper reported on Wednesday. The proposal has a low chance of passing in its current form in light of the Democratic majority in the November general election and presidential election, but it may encourage Trump to tighten sanctions against Tehran and receive further support from the Democratic side after various amendments.  

The bill will place $ 70 million in annual security assistance to Lebanon from the United States, and permits for Iraq to purchase electricity from Iran, according to a report in the conservative US newspaper Washington Free Beacon. The proposal will halt security aid and impose sanctions on Tehran's "economic empire", Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and various institutions in the Islamic Republic. 

According to the report, the sanctions will be aimed at Iranian leaders and officials identified with the region as Hezbollah, ending the concessions to countries such as Iraq. Congressman Joe Wilson, one of the draft lawmakers, has confirmed to the paper that it will include 140 punitive measures against Iran, and will tighten pressure on Russia and China to worsen its attitude toward it. 

The proposal comes as the Trump administration seeks support for the renewal of the UN arms embargo on Tehran, which expires in October 2020. 

The Republican research committee behind the bill includes 147 members of the House of Representatives, including Chairman Mike Johnson. However, no member of the House Democratic Party, which holds most seats, has so far expressed support for the law. 

The current bill may also cause difficulties for the Trump administration. Secretary of State Mike Pompa supported renewed concessions to Iraq and continued security support for Lebanon. The bill aims to block any government efforts to remove sanctions on Iran without Congress approval, and impose additional sanctions on its Iraqi militias.

However, the proposal could give the White House tools to press Russia and China to renew the UN arms embargo on Tehran. Of countries such as China and Russia that will return to arms sales, banks that will facilitate arms trafficking and any arms transfer company. 

Middle East expert named Firas Maxad, who is a professor at George Washington University, said the proposal was broad, but would face some difficulties. He said the bill was designed to be "the mother of all sanctions packages," but its breadth and the range of policy issues it affects will be delayed by political officials.

"Republican-leaning congressional Republicans believe it will be difficult for the government to resist pressure for stricter access to Iran, China and Russia in an election year. But technically, the proposal could undergo some amendments to gain support from both parties," Maxad explained.

Another expert quoted in The National also believes the proposal will not pass. "This seems like something unlikely to happen, especially as the November presidential election draws closer and the Democrats do not want to be seen as creating overseas tensions," said Rhine Bohey, a US intelligence expert. Despite that, he estimates the proposal may pressure the Trump administration or encourage it to tighten pre-election sanctions.