Ed Royce: “There were observers that were tempted to believe that Iran's President Rouhani would usher in a more tolerant attitude…”

“There were observers that were tempted to believe that Iran's President Rouhani would usher in a more tolerant attitude at home. I think many of us suspected that might be the case because he did occasionally offer less antagonistic rhetoric than his predecessor, even if he had had the history he did have in the security services. But it turns out that was wrong. That assumption was wrong. In a new report, the U.N. Special Rapporteur has documented an alarming increase in the number of executions, including political prisoners, juveniles, and religious minorities, such as the peaceful Baha'i, since President Rouhani took office in August of 2013. The motif of this regime is becoming a religious dissident swinging by the neck from a crane, if you watch the news coming out of Iran. I won't again articulate my concerns about these acid attacks that are going on, but this comes, I think, at a time when millions of Iranians yearn for basic freedoms--basic freedoms--that we in the West take for granted. Mr. Speaker, I think it is incumbent upon all of us, as the House is doing today, to stand with the people of Iran who suffer under this theocracy and to speak out. I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 754.…”