Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) has reintroduced the Iranian Terror Prevention Act, a sweeping piece of legislation that would require the U.S. Secretary of State to formally designate 29 Iranian-backed militias and terror groups — as well as any entity tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) under U.S. law.
The move, which is part of the Republican Study Committee’s broader strategy to confront Iran’s global terror apparatus, is aimed at strengthening U.S. efforts to hold IRGC proxies accountable for attacks on American troops, allies, and regional stability.
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“For far too long, Iran has employed proxy militias to carry out its terrorist agenda across the Middle East,” Steube said in a statement. “These groups are responsible for attacking American forces, threatening our allies, and destabilizing the region. My bill directs the State Department to formally recognize the threat these groups pose and treat them as the terrorists they are.”
The Iranian Terror Prevention Act mandates the following:
- The Secretary of State must designate the named 29 groups — including the Badr Organization, Kata’ib al-Imam Ali, Sarayya al-Jihad, and the Houthis (Ansarallah) — as FTOs within 90 days of the bill’s enactment.
- The President must determine within 60 days whether these groups or their affiliates should also face sanctions under Executive Order 13224, which allows for the blocking of assets of individuals and entities that support terrorism.
- The State Department must submit a biannual report to Congress identifying new entities that qualify for designation or sanctions.
- The President must provide a detailed explanation to Congress for any group not sanctioned.
The legislation specifically targets militias operating in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, many of which are under the direct or indirect control of the IRGC.
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The bill is co-sponsored by 18 Republican lawmakers, including Reps. Ben Cline (R-Va.), Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), Mike Turner (R-Ohio), and Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.). It reflects increasing bipartisan concern about the expanding reach of Iran’s militant proxy network, especially following repeated attacks on U.S. and coalition forces in the Middle East.
Universal designation of IRGC-linked militias as FTOs has been a core demand of national security hawks, who argue that failure to label these groups properly has allowed Iran to use deniable violence against U.S. interests.
The bill follows a sharp rise in regional attacks attributed to IRGC-backed factions and comes amid renewed scrutiny of Iran’s destabilizing activities — including its support for the Houthis, Hezbollah, and other radical groups.
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If passed, the Iranian Terror Prevention Act would significantly expand the U.S. government’s legal tools to sanction, isolate, and disrupt foreign terrorist organizations and their backers. It would also likely escalate pressure on Iran at a time when tensions remain high over its nuclear program and continued regional interference.
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