The recent passage of U.S. House Resolution 166, backed by a significant bipartisan majority of 220 Representatives, marks a pivotal moment in the international community’s stance towards the clerical regime in Iran. Beyond expressing support for the Iranian people’s aspirations for a democratic, secular, and nonnuclear republic, the resolution serves as a powerful indictment of the regime’s four-decade reign of terror, its systematic human rights abuses, and its destabilizing actions both domestically and internationally. Crucially, H.Res. 166 validates the long-standing calls from the Iranian Resistance and human rights advocates for accountability for past and ongoing atrocities, particularly the 1988 massacre of political prisoners.
The resolution leaves no ambiguity about the nature of the Iranian regime, unequivocally condemning its “terrorism, regional proxy war, internal suppression, and for other purposes.” It highlights that “the developments over the past year have left no doubt that the source of terrorism and warmongering in the Middle East region is the theocratic Islamic Republic of Iran.” This strong language from a key branch of the U.S. government reinforces the reality that the Iranian people have endured for over 45 years: a regime built on violence and sustained by repression.
Comprehensive Condemnation: A Regime Built on Terror and Repression
H.Res. 166 meticulously outlines the multifaceted malign activities of the Iranian regime. It notes that the “ruling theocratic Islamic Republic of Iran has acted as a source of terrorism and regional conflict over the past four decades to ensure its survival,” directly linking its warmongering to its efforts to maintain power. The resolution specifically points to the regime’s role in “fueling of weapons, missiles, and drones to its proxies and targeting of ships and free trade in the Red Sea and American forces in the region,” highlighting its direct threat to global peace and security.
Furthermore, the resolution addresses the regime’s dangerous nuclear ambitions, stating that it “has repeatedly and increasingly violated its commitments under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), and defied the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding its nuclear programs, and has expanded its stockpile of near weapons grade of enriched uranium, a necessary component of building a nuclear bomb.” This comprehensive condemnation underscores the international consensus that the regime’s behavior is unacceptable and poses a grave danger. The House of Representatives “unequivocally condemns the Iranian regime’s warmongering in the Middle East, which is a major source of terrorism and regional instability and calls for its end.”
Spotlight on Atrocities: The Unforgotten Crime of the 1988 Massacre
A particularly significant aspect of H.Res. 166 is its direct reference to one of the darkest chapters in modern Iranian history: the 1988 massacre. The resolution cites the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran’s July 2024 report, which “highlighted the execution of ‘tens of thousands’ of political prisoners in the 1980s and during the 1988 massacre (up to 30,000).” It further quotes the Special Rapporteur, noting that these “‘atrocity crimes’… represent the commission of the worst and the most egregious human rights abuses of our living memory whereby high-ranking state officials connived, conspired, and actively engaged to plan, order and commit crimes against humanity against the nationals of their own state.”
Crucially, the resolution acknowledges that “an overwhelming majority of the executed prisoners were members and sympathizers of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).” This explicit recognition is vital, as the regime has consistently sought to deny or downplay this systematic extermination of political opponents. By incorporating these findings, the U.S. House of Representatives lends its weight to the demand for justice for the victims and accountability for the perpetrators, many of whom still hold positions of power in Iran.
Ongoing Brutality and the Targeting of Dissent
The resolution makes clear that the regime’s brutality is not confined to the past. It notes that “in the first four months of Masoud Pezeshkian’s presidency, over 500 prisoners, including political prisoners and at least 17 women, have been executed, some publicly.” This grim statistic dispels any illusion that cosmetic changes in the regime’s presidency signal a shift towards moderation. The resolution also condemns the “arbitrarily and brutally suppressed ethnic and religious minorities.”
Furthermore, H.Res. 166 sheds light on the regime’s relentless persecution of its organized opposition, even beyond Iran’s borders. It states that “in 2023, the Iranian regime started sham trials in absentia of some 104 veteran members of the Iranian opposition, who are primarily based in Europe, including in France and Albania, to justify terrorist plots against them, and continues to target Iranian dissidents abroad.” This underscores the regime’s profound fear of the organized resistance and its determination to silence dissenting voices by any means necessary.
A Call for Accountability and Protection for Witnesses in Ashraf 3
In response to this catalogue of crimes, H.Res. 166 “calls for holding the Iranian regime and its leaders accountable for their crimes through the continued imposition of sanctions.” This call for accountability is directly linked to the protection of those who can bear witness to these crimes. The resolution specifically highlights the residents of Ashraf 3 in Albania, noting that “over 900 women and men of Ashraf 3 in Albania are former political prisoners who witnessed prison crimes of the Iranian regime, and many of them are witnesses of the 1988 massacre and other political killings in Iran, who must be fully protected for potential testimonies before any international courts investigating the killings in Iran.”
The resolution explicitly “calls on the United States Government, in cooperation with our ally Albania, to ensure the full protection of the Iranian political refugees in Ashraf 3 in Albania against the Iranian regime’s continued efforts to target dissidents abroad and for them to benefit from all rights stipulated in the Geneva Convention 1951 and the European Convention on Human Rights.” This is a critical demand, recognizing the invaluable role these survivors play in the pursuit of justice and the ongoing threat they face from the Iranian regime.
The Path Forward: Rejecting All Dictatorship, Embracing a Democratic Alternative
The resolution identifies that the Iranian people “oppose any form of authoritarian rule, reject monarchic dictatorship and religious tyranny, as evident in their protest slogans.” This echoes the consistent message from nationwide uprisings in Iran, where citizens have clearly articulated their desire for a fundamental change, not a mere reshuffling of dictators.
Crucially, H.Res. 166 points towards a viable democratic future by calling for “supporting the Iranian opposition and the Ten-Point Plan for the Future of Iran, which aligns with democratic values and ensures a democratic, secular, peaceful, and nonnuclear republic for the future of Iran.” This Ten-Point Plan, presented by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), advocates for universal suffrage, free elections, separation of religion and state, gender equality, and a non-nuclear Iran. The widespread international support for this plan, including from “over 4,000 parliamentarians worldwide… and over 130 former world leaders and 80 Nobel laureates,” signifies its credibility as a blueprint for a free Iran.
The U.S. House Resolution 166 is a significant step. It not only condemns the Iranian regime’s extensive crimes but also recognizes the legitimacy of the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom and democracy, and the importance of holding the perpetrators of mass atrocities, like the 1988 massacre, accountable.
