Duval Times

Three bills authored by U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) aimed at sanctioning Iran and its enablers, including the Chinese Communist Party, Iranian leaders, and Iran-backed terrorist groups, have been signed into law.

Senator Rubio expressed the need for these actions, stating, “We have seen the violent acts carried out by the Iranian regime, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hamas, and other terrorist affiliates. For too long, the U.S. was either unable or unwilling to punish these actions...I encourage the Biden Administration to move quickly and use these new authorities to punish the violent acts carried out by these entities and help put an end to their cruelty.”

The three bills include the Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum (SHIP) Act, the Mahsa Amini Human Rights and Security Accountability (MAHSA) Act, and the Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad International Terrorism Support Prevention Act of 2024.

The SHIP Act targets the illicit purchases of Iranian oil, particularly addressing Chinese refineries' involvement in processing, refining, or engaging with approximately 1.2 million barrels of Iranian oil per day. This legislation holds the regime's enablers accountable and was introduced by Rubio in collaboration with Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV).

The MAHSA Act requires an assessment of whether sanctions should be imposed on top leaders of the oppressive Islamic regime in Iran, including the Supreme Leader of Iran and the President of Iran, due to systemic human rights violations. Senator Rubio introduced this bill with Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA).

Lastly, the Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad International Terrorism Support Prevention Act of 2024 addresses the foreign financial and material support that fueled terrorism against Israel by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. This law sanctions foreign entities and governments supporting these terrorist groups and was initially introduced by Rubio in October 2019.

These new laws reflect a bipartisan effort to hold accountable those involved in supporting Iran and its terrorist affiliates, aiming to address human rights violations and combat terrorism in the region.