§9402 Regional strategy for countering conventional and asymmetric Iranian threats in the Middle East and North Africa

Summary

Within 180 days after August 2, 2017, and then every 2 years, the Secretaries of State, Defense, and the Treasury, together with the Director of National Intelligence, must write and send Congress a plan to deter Iranian threats to the United States and key allies in the Middle East, North Africa, and nearby areas. The plan must explain U.S. near- and long-term goals and identify countries that share those goals. It must say what each partner can do now and what more they could do. It must assess Iran’s regular military forces and upgrades (including ballistic and cruise missiles, drones, and maritime/A2/AD systems), Iran’s chemical and biological capabilities, and Iran’s asymmetric activities (including the IRGC and Quds Force, cyber operations, support for groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, Iraqi militias, the Assad regime, and the Houthis, and Iran’s propaganda). It must list U.S. actions to counter Iran, such as stopping lethal arms shipments to groups designated under section 1189 of title 8, addressing interference with shipping lanes, efforts to subvert governments, and support for Assad. The plan must be unclassified but may include a classified annex. “Appropriate congressional committees and leadership” means the named Senate committees and leaders and the named House committees and leaders.