A Republican-led US House resolution supporting a secular, democratic and non-nuclear Iran has achieved bipartisan support, with 75 Democrats adding their names to the measure on Thursday, according to Fox News.
The bill’s original sponsor, Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA), who introduced the measure in early February, said at a press conference that both parties "now stand side-by-side with the people of Iran who struggle to rid themselves of the theocratic thugs who have oppressed them for far too long."
"I think everyone senses that the day of Iran’s liberation is approaching, and its deliverance will be at the hands of the Iranian people and their friends and supporters around the world," he said.
H.Res100 has achieved rare bipartisan support in only weeks, and is now sponsored by 222 reps.
“This resolution recognizes that the current protests are rooted in more than four decades of organized resistance against the Iranian dictatorship, which, for years, has been led by women who have endured torture, sexual and gender-based violence, and death,” a statement from McClintock said.
The resolution “calls on relevant United States government agencies to work with European allies,” to hold Iran “accountable for breaching diplomatic privileges, and to call on nations to prevent the malign activities of the Iranian regime’s diplomatic missions, with the goal of closing them down and expelling its agents.”
The Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC) praised the members of Congress for “supporting a democratic, secular, non-nuclear Republic of Iran.”
“Thank you to everyone who joined us today standing in solidarity with the people of Iran. We are eternally grateful for your support!” OIAC tweeted.
At the meeting, Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX) slammed the White House for not supporting the 2009 Iranian uprising against the country’s theocratic rulers, but added: "America should have been on board then, but I’ll tell you this, we are on board now and that's what matters.”
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-CA) said: "We will fight until Iran is free and free for everyone, for the women of Iran, for the children of Iran and for the men and families of Iran.”
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)