US SR525

Senate condemns Iran's state-sponsored persecution of the Baha'i religious minority and violations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

Since 1979, Iranian authorities have killed or executed more than 200 Baha'i leaders and dismissed over 10,000 Baha'is from government and university positions

Calls on Iran to immediately release all Baha'i prisoners and others held solely for their religion, end state-sponsored hate propaganda, and reverse policies denying Baha'is access to higher education, employment, and religious practice

Urges the President and Secretary of State to condemn Iran's human rights violations and impose sanctions on Iranian officials directly responsible for abuses against the Baha'i community

References Congress's 23 previous declarations (1982-2024) deploring Iran's religious persecution and cites 2024 reports from the UN, State Department, and Human Rights Watch documenting ongoing systematic targeting of Baha'is