TThe Senate reintroduced a bipartisan resolution in support of anti-regime protests in Iran just a day after the House of Representatives passed a concurrent resolution.
Bob Menendez (D-NJ), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was among the group of senators who reintroduced the resolution Thursday, and said in a statement that he is proud to stand with his colleagues leagues to “praise the bravery of these Iranians.” protesters who have stood firm against the Iranian regime for more than 130 days and counting.”
HOUSE APPROVES RESOLUTION PRAISEING ‘COURAGE, COURAGE AND RESOLUTION’ OF IRANIAN PROTESTERS
The protests, which have drawn international attention and solidarity, followed the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in police custody in September. The Iranian government is accused of brutally beating Amini, who was arrested for allegedly violating the regime’s conservative dress code.
Hundreds have died in the protests and thousands more have been arrested. The West has condemned executions linked to the protests, as well as the Iranian government’s efforts to restrict Internet access.
Women shout slogans during a protest against the death of Iranian Mahsa Amini, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022. Thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets over the past two weeks to protest the death of Mahsa Amini , a 22-year-old. -year-old woman who had been detained by Iranian morality police in the capital Tehran for allegedly not complying with Iran’s strict Islamic dress code. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Emrah Gurel/AP
“Following the death of Mahsa Amini, the Iranian people have courageously protested the regime’s brutality and demonstrated their desire for a more peaceful and free Iran,” said Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID). “In addition to addressing Iran’s dangerous collusion with Russia, the Biden Administration should step up efforts to help end the regime’s systematic persecution of women and hold rights violators accountable humans in Iran.”
Risch and Menendez joined Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Chris Coons (D-DE) and James Lankford (R-OK), along with 28 other Senate colleagues to reintroduce the resolution.
Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) introduced the resolution Wednesday and also called on the Biden administration to “do more” to confront Iran. The resolution passed 420-1, with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) casting the lone “no” vote. Before the vote, Tenney called the protests the “biggest popular protest” in Iran since its theocratic regime came to power in 1979.
Dr. Ramesh Sepehrrad, advisory president of the Organization of Iranian American Communities, commended the senators “for standing with the brave protesters in Iran and their call for democracy.”
“As the world watches Iran’s journey to freedom, this [is] imperative that the tyrannical regime be held accountable for its crimes and mass murders. This bipartisan resolution is a reflection of that fundamental principle,” Sepehrrad added.
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Demonstrators shout slogans during a protest against Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities and in solidarity with Iran’s anti-government movement, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
Yorgos Karahalis/AP
This week, demonstrations in support of Iranian protesters took place in Washington, DC, Athens, Greece, London and Toronto, Canada.
Misty Severi and David Sivak contributed to this report.
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