Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, wants sanctioned Iranian officials to be banned from entering the U.S. ahead of the U.N. General Assembly meeting, The Hill reported.

The Strengthening Entry Visa Enforcement and Restrictions Act would prohibit Iranian officials from entering the U.S. as representatives to the United Nations if they are sanctioned for backing Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, The Hill said.

"The Iranian regime and the corrupt officials who run it are responsible for the murder, injury, and kidnapping of thousands of Americans," Cruz said in a statement. "The Ayatollah means it when he chants 'Death to America,' and the United States has developed and imposed sanctions to counter the threats posed by him and those directly around him. If you are a crony of the Ayatollah who has been sanctioned by the U.S., it means that you pose a threat to the safety and security of Americans, and you should not be allowed on American soil — let alone to engage in diplomacy at the United Nations General Assembly."

A similar bill was proposed in the House by Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y.

"[Iranian] President Masoud Pezeshkian, like his predecessors, is part of a regime that funds terrorism, destabilizes the Middle East, brutalizes the Iranian people, and has actively targeted Americans. No government official that is part of this despotic regime should ever be permitted to set foot on American soil to spread propaganda or legitimize tyranny," Tenney said in a statement. "The SEVER Act will give President Trump the authority to ensure the United States is never a platform for terrorists and tyrants that threaten American citizens."

Pezeshkian and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are expected to attend the U.N. General Assembly meeting next week.

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