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US Congress Building
A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers has sent a strong letter to President Donald J. Trump urging him to restrict the Iranian regime’s participation at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
The letter calls on the administration to deny visas and limit the movement of regime officials, including its president Masoud Pezeshkian. Lawmakers emphasized that Tehran should not be allowed to exploit the world stage to project a false image of moderation.
“We respectfully urge you to restrict the Iranian delegation’s freedom of movement, and, to the extent possible, refrain from issuing visas to key delegation members, including for its President, Masoud Pezeshkian,” the lawmakers wrote.
The letter highlights the sharp escalation of executions and repression in Iran in recent months.
Watch our video on the bipartisan #US Senate conference where lawmakers, diplomats, and military leaders gathered to discuss a free and democratic #Iran.#NCRIAlternative pic.twitter.com/XbWicwNloj
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) December 17, 2024
“Immediately following the recent 12-day war between Israel and Iran, the Iranian regime escalated its widespread internal crackdown, arbitrarily arresting hundreds of ethnic minorities, civil society leaders, women’s rights activists, and others,” the letter noted.
According to the signatories, the Pezeshkian government has overseen nearly 1,500 executions in just one year, including political prisoners. On July 27, 2025, political prisoners and PMOI members Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani were executed, with more than a dozen other political prisoners currently on death row.
The lawmakers drew parallels to the 1988 massacre of more than 30,000 political prisoners, warning that senior regime officials have expressed intent to replicate such atrocities.
“The regime is anything but moderate, as the dramatic uptick in executions in Iran shows. They are criminals. They support terrorism. They sow hatred and instability across the Middle East which poses a direct threat to U.S. interests.”
#American Senators Shaheen and Tillis: “Today, we stand together to show bipartisan support in Congress for a freer, more democratic future for Iran.”#FreeIran2024 pic.twitter.com/7Uk8lH3Jiy
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 4, 2024
In their appeal, the members of Congress expressed solidarity with the Iranian people’s demand for a pluralist, secular, democratic, and non-nuclear republic of Iran, aligning this position with U.S. national security interests.
“We urge you to take a strong stand against the Iranian regime’s ongoing support for terrorism and human rights abuses, in line with your dedication toward ‘Peace through Strength’ and the maximum pressure campaign against the regime.”
The lawmakers concluded by stressing that preventing the regime’s delegation from exploiting the UNGA is a necessary step: “We look forward to working with you to further oppose the destructive and destabilizing influence of the government of Iran and support the Iranian people on the world stage.”