Sullivan Legislation Strengthens U.S./Israel Alliance, Reinstates “Peace Through Strength” Policies in the Middle East

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), introduced a package of three bills focused on promoting stability and security in the Middle East: the Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act, the United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025, and the Stop the ICC. These bills work to strengthen the U.S.-Israel military alliance, bolster the U.S. sanctions regime against Iran—the architect of chaos in the Middle East—and prohibit U.S. funding of or cooperation with the antisemitic International Criminal Court (ICC). Much of Sullivan’s Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act dovetails with President Trump’s recent executive orders on Iran and Israel.

“Taken together, this suite of bills sends a clear message that the United States stands firmly with Israel,” said Senator Sullivan. “The Biden administration refused to enforce the comprehensive Iran sanctions that President Trump enacted during his first term. As a result, Iran was given more than $70 billion and used this windfall to spread terror across the Middle East and in Israel. Congress needs to send a clear message that this must stop. Further, to better protect our interests at home and strengthen our alliance with Israel, we must strengthen the U.S.-Israel security partnership and stand with Israel against antisemitic institutions that threaten the existence of our closest ally in the Middle East. It’s time to return to ‘peace through strength’ in the Middle East and stand stronger than ever against the Iranian regime and its terrorist proxies that are threatening Israel and American interests throughout the region.”

See below for summaries of Senator Sullivan’s legislation.

Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act

This legislation supports the return to a maximum pressure posture toward Iran by strengthening the U.S. sanctions regime against Iran by filling the gaps on existing sanctions legislation and mandating rigorous enforcement of sanctions. Specifically, the legislation expands the range of sanctions to encompass the full logistical chain of Iranian energy exports, it creates an interagency task force to constantly track Iranian illicit activities, and it sunsets the timeline to issue sanctions waivers. It also includes provisions to encourage a new multilateral contact group with like-minded nations to coordinate international sanctions enforcement efforts.

Specifically, the bill takes several important measures:

Imposes secondary sanctions on the entire logistical chain of foreign entities supporting Iran’s illicit oil sales, including Chinese banks, maritime insurance providers, and flagging registries, as well as the executive-level leadership in those corporations and their immediate family members. It also imposes sanctions on family members of individuals in Iran sanctioned for terrorism, ballistic missile production, or weapons of mass destruction (WMD) facilities.
Creates an interagency Iran sanctions working group tasked with constantly tracking illicit transfers of Iranian oil, gas, and related products, with a periodic reporting plan to outline efforts to keep abreast of the evolving sanctions-evasion efforts, and identify new sanctions designations packages.

Creates a multilateral contact group for harmonizing and enforcing international sanctions on Iran.
Directs the provision of a private sector reporting mechanism, which financially incentivizes private sector counterparts to share information about illicit Iranian transfer operations.
Initiates a periodic (180-day) review by the President to justify maintaining existing waivers on eligible nations’ purchase of Iranian oil, accompanied by a detailed, credible plan to phase out the need for waivers for each applicable country. This would include sunset waiver authority on Iran sanctions, following a periodic congressional review.
Sunsets the presidential sanctions waiver authority in February 1, 2029.

This legislation is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.).

The United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025

This bill strengthens the U.S.-Israel security partnership by extending and expanding existing bilateral security initiatives. It also establishes new cooperative programs, including a broader initiative on unmanned systems, establishing a Defense Innovation Unit in Israel, and advocating for consideration of Israel’s inclusion in the National Technology Industrial Base (NTIB). Finally, it calls for greater cooperation between Israel and regional countries in advancing work on Integrated Air and Missile Defense.

Specifically, this bill takes several important measures:

Establishes a program between the United States and Israel on Countering Unmanned Systems (C-UxS). This entails a program of cooperation to develop, test, and deploy advanced C-UxS technologies to address threats posed by UAS, funded at $150 million per year.

Extension and expansion of the U.S.-Israel Counter-UAS Cooperative Program. This would increase funding for the current initiative from $55 million to $75 million annually.

Extension and expansion of the United States-Israel Anti-Tunneling Cooperative Program. Extends the authorization of the U.S.-Israel Anti-Tunneling Cooperative Program to Dec 31, 2028 and increases the authorization to $80 million per year.

Authorizes cooperation between the United States and Israel on emerging defense technologies for 5 years (United States-Israel Future of Warfare Act). Provides $47.5 million a year to encourage further defense collaboration with Israel in areas of emerging technologies, including autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum, and biotechnology.

Reauthorizes the War Reserves Stockpile Authority – Israel (WRSA-I); extends the authorization of WRSA-I, which expires at the end of 2026, through January 1, 2029.

Establishes a Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) office in Israel. A DIU office in Israel will work with the Israeli Minister of Defense and private sector to counter Iran’s development of dual-use defense technologies.

Israel-National Technology Industrial Base (NTIB) Engagement. This requires the Secretary of Defense to engage with his or her Israeli counterpart to initiate a discussion on the process of Israeli ascension into NTIB.

Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD). This requires the Secretary of Defense to provide a report on strengthening IAMD in the Middle East.

This legislation is cosponsored by Senators Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.).

Stop the ICC Act

This bill prohibits funding for and cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC), based on its antisemitic efforts to prosecute top Israeli officials and create a false equivalence between Israel and Hamas, a terrorist organization. It also prohibits U.S. economic support for the Palestinian Authority (PA) based on its cooperation with the ICC’s investigations against Israeli officials. Specifically, it instructs the President to freeze property assets and deny visas to any foreigners who materially or financially contributed to the ICC’s efforts to “investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute a protected person.” Protected persons are defined as all current and former military and government officials of the U.S. and allies that have not consented to the court’s jurisdiction, such as Israel. The legislation covers the 32-member NATO and the 19 major non-NATO countries, which include Israel, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, South Korea, the Philippines, and Egypt. It would also rescind any funds the U.S. has designated for the ICC and prohibit any future money for the court.

Background: In May 2024, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan announced that he was seeking warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as Hamas leadership. In November 2024, the court issued warrants for Mr. Netanyahu, Mr. Gallant and Hamas leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

This legislation is cosponsored by Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.).

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