Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) on Thursday spearheaded a congressional letter to President Donald Trump urging him to block Iranian regime officials from entering the United States for the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York, warning, “They are criminals. They support terrorism. They sow hatred and instability across the Middle East.”
The letter, signed by 40 lawmakers, presses the administration to deny visas and restrict the movement of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and his delegation, insisting Tehran must not be allowed to exploit the U.N. platform “to present a deceptive 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.
They pointed to Tehran’s violent repression following the recent 12-day war with Israel, noting the regime has “arbitrarily arrested hundreds of ethnic minorities, civil society leaders, women’s rights activists, and others.” On July 27, 2025, the regime executed two members of an opposition political party, Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, while placing over a dozen others on death row.
The letter underscores that in just one year under Pezeshkian’s rule, “nearly 1,500 people have been executed, including political prisoners.” That surge follows a record year in 2024, when Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime carried out more than 1,000 executions amid a sweeping crackdown on dissent. Lawmakers warned that senior officials are openly calling to replicate the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners:
The regime is anything but moderate, as the dramatic uptick in executions in Iran show. They are criminals. They support terrorism. They sow hatred and instability across the Middle East which poses a direct threat to U.S. interests.
The lawmakers stressed that blocking Tehran’s officials from exploiting the U.N. stage is both a moral duty and a matter of national security:
“In solidarity with the Iranian people, who are calling for a multi-party, secular, democratic, non-nuclear republic of Iran, and in furtherance of U.S. national security interests, we urge you to use the full force of the law to prevent the Iranian regime from exploiting the United Nations General Assembly meeting,” the letter continued.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) were among those joining Lawler in signing the letter.
The push comes as Trump has already acted to prevent hostile actors from using the U.N. stage. In July, the administration blocked Palestinian Authority officials from traveling to New York to lobby for statehood recognition, and last month, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) confirmed that Palestinian leaders were denied visas to enter the U.S. Meanwhile, European leaders have begun the process of restoring “snapback” sanctions on Tehran, underscoring a growing international effort to return to maximum pressure.
The lawmakers closed by pressing Trump to maintain that course:
“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. 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.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
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