Press Releases

Yesterday, Congressman Bill Huizenga (R-MI) announced the introduction of a resolution condemning the Biden Administration’s response to the death of the “Butcher of Tehran.” Specifically, the resolution condemns the State Department’s statement expressing condolences for the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian, and other members of their delegation.

“The Biden Administration’s response to the death of Ebrahim Raisi is completely unacceptable and should be condemned,” said Congressman Bill Huizenga. “The Butcher of Tehran was sanctioned by the U.S. Government for his participation in a ‘death commission’ that executed thousands of political prisoners. He oversaw hundreds of millions of dollars being used to finance terrorism that resulted in the death of Americans as well as our allies. He also notably supported the tragic events of October 7^th and the unprecedented launching of a direct assault on our ally Israel from Iranian soil. The Biden Administration needs to stop sending condolences to terrorists and start holding the regime in Iran accountable.”

The text of the resolution is available online and copied below.

Whereas Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was notably referred to as the ‘‘Butcher of Tehran’’ and helped oversee the mass executions of thousands of political prisoners in 1988 after the Iran-Iraq war;

Whereas, in 2019, the Department of the Treasury sanctioned President Raisi for his participation ‘‘in a so-called ‘death commission’ that ordered the extrajudicial executions of thousands of political prisoners’’;

Whereas the Iranian regime, under President Raisi’s watch, subjected thousands of protesters to mass arrests, enforced disappearance, torture, and killings following nationwide protests;

Whereas President Raisi supported the Iranian regime’s security services as they cracked down on dissent following the aftermath of the 2022 death of Masha Amini leading to more than 500 people killed and over 22,000 people detained;

Whereas President Raisi supported the Iranian regime’s enrichment of uranium up to near-weapons-grade levels while denying international inspectors in a move to undermine Western ideals;

Whereas President Raisi supported the April 2024 assault on Israel that saw over 300 drones and missiles fired from Iranian soil;

Whereas the Iranian regime routinely provides about $100,000,000 annually to Palestinian terror groups that have killed Americans and have taken others hostage during the barbaric assault on Israel; and

Whereas, on May 20, 2024, the Department of State released a press statement expressing ‘‘its official condolences for the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian, and other members of their delegation in a helicopter crash in northwest Iran’’: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives condemns the Department of State’s statement expressing condolences for the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian, and other members of their delegation.

Joining Congressman Huizenga on the resolution are Representatives: Burchett, Tim; D’Esposito, Anthony; Feenstra, Randy; Kim, Young; Lamborn, Doug; Lawler, Mike; McCormick, Richard; Miller, Carol; Moran, Nathaniel; Norman, Ralph; Stauber, Pete.