An anti-Iran bill passed in the US House of Representatives this month is unconstitutional, according to a US Justice Department memo obtained by BuzzFeed News. The determination is a setback for legislation Republicans hope will expose Democrats as soft on Iran and curry favor with pro-Israel donors. It also underscores the increasingly elaborate attempts by Iran hawks to toughen US policy toward Tehran under President Donald Trump.
The Iranian Leadership Asset Transparency Act, which would require the US Treasury Department to publicly report on the assets of Iranian officials passed in the House on Dec. 13 but faces uncertain prospects in the Senate, where some Democrats view it as a backdoor attempt to unravel the landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers.
