Washington
DC - Last month, the US House of Representatives amended foreign debt relief
legislation to exclude countries with “business interests with Iran.”The bill, titled the Jubilee Act for
Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation (HR 2634), is intended to
provide low-income countries relief from debts owed to the United States and
international financial institutions.
Washington
DC – Congratulations to Artin Afkhami, a senior at the University of
California, Berkeley. This summer, NIAC will sponsor Artin’s internship in the
office of California Senator Dianne Feinstein, where Artin will experience
Capitol Hill first hand by attending committee hearings and researching
legislation.
Artin was born and raised
in California. He was chosen as the NIAC Public Service and Journalism Fellow
because of his superior academic achievement, his impressive record of public
service, and his dedication to the progress of the Iranian American community.
He will be working in the office of senior California Senator Dianne Feinstein
in Washington DC. Artin will be graduating in May 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts
in Middle East Studies.
Washington, DC, May 6, 2008 -- Senator Hillary
Clinton’s refusal to express regret for her irresponsible “obliterate Iran”
statement is deplorable and reflective of a foreign policy outlook that
perpetuates rather than resolves conflicts.
Presidential candidates rarely answer hypothetical questions
without intending to send an important signal. The question is does her
statement to obliterate an entire country in the event that it attacks a key US
ally add to America’s deterrence and security or does it add to existing
perceptions that America is losing its ability to lead through diplomacy rather
than force?
By enthusiastically answering a hypothetical question about
a highly unlikely worst-case scenario, Senator Clinton deliberately passed on
the opportunity to present an effective strategy that would prevent Iran from
acquiring a nuclear bomb in the first place.
For
many Iranian Americans, Shirin Ebadi is a household name. As an Iranian lawyer
and human rights activist—and the first Iranian Nobel Peace Prize recipient
(2003)—her efforts are a point of pride for the Iranian-American community,
many of whom hope to follow her lead.
On
Thursday, May 1, between 3 and 4 p.m. ET, Ebadi will be interviewed online by
David Swanson of The People Speak
Radio. Iranian Americans and their American friends will be able to tune in
and ask Ebadi questions. Questions can range from the human rights situation
inside Iran, to Iran’s support for militant insurgence groups, to the future of
US-Iran relations, and more.
Washington DC - The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) is pleased to
welcome the launch of the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA), the first
Iranian-American lobbying organization in Washington DC. Iranian-American political voices can only mature with the
advent of more organizations focusing on the community's concerns. Like NIAC,
PAAIA aims "to build an influential voice for the Iranian-American community in
the US political process.
Washington DC – Time is not on our
side. This was the pronounced or implicit understanding of the Senate Homeland
Security sub-committee as well as the experts tasked to provide new ideas for
solving the US-Iran nuclear stand-off.
While the U.S. and many European countries believe that Iran's nuclear ambitions can be restrained by increasing sanctions aimed at the regime's decision-makers, Tehran continues to outwit them without changing its policies. The sanctions are not only failing to achieve their stated aims, they are also strengthening a government that has become more despotic since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.
Washington DC - NIAC's Senate conference "Breaking the US-Iran Stalemate" with Senator Dianne Feinstein, Ambassador Tom Pickering and Dr. Hans Blix is now available on youtube.
Washington DC - During a Senate hearing on the State Department’s 2009 budget, Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) engaged in a frank exchange with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice over US policy on Iran. In his address to Rice during the hearing, which was held by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, Specter called for bilateral talks with Iran without preconditions.
Washington DC - The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) denounces
Senator Hillary Clinton's escalating war rhetoric on Iran. In an interview with
Good Morning America, Senator Clinton promised Tuesday to "obliterate" Iran should
Tehran develop a nuclear weapon and use it against Israel.
By negotiating a
Shiite truce, Tehran embarrassed Washington last week and arguably proved
itself to be a more potent stabilizer of southern Iraq. Iran's role in Iraq came as
a sharp reminder that the George W. Bush administration's accusations of
Iranian mischief notwithstanding, Iranian influence in Iraq is both undeniable
and multifaceted. As Washington starts to come to terms with this reality, the
Middle East inches closer to its moment of truth: Is the United States ready to
share the region with Iran?
Washington DC - Five lawmakers urged Congress to heed the warning signs of impending war with Iran and called for passage of legislation requiring Congressional authorization for military action and direct diplomatic engagement with the “rogue” nation.
Washington DC - Iran is currently under global pressure for its nuclear program, its alleged state sponsorship of terrorist organizations, and the increasingly belligerent rhetoric of its President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. According to the findings of a panel on Capitol Hill on April 15, these issues need multi-layered solutions. The event, “Iran and the United States: Outlook for the Next Decade?”, was hosted by the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies and the International Center for Terrorism Studies.
Washington DC - On
New Year’s Eve 1978, Jimmy Carter came to Iran and said that “there is no
nation in the world with which the U.S. has better relations and no leader in
the world with whom I am greater friends with than the Shah.” This statement,
just 14 months before the Islamic Revolution, was among many of the musings and
historical points brought up by Karim Sadjadpour during a speaking engagement
at the University of California Washington Center.
Washington DC - "The United States and the West have painted themselves into a corner," Hans Blix, former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Wednesday. Blix was referring to the Bush administration’s insistence that Iran suspend enrichment of uranium before talks can proceed. Iran has refused to do so, claiming that it is unacceptable to be expected to concede the main object under negotiation before talks even begin.
Washington
DC - In a time of caustic rhetoric and ‘trigger' diplomacy, when talking with
one's adversaries is confused with weakness, leaders still exist that possess
the vision to recommend a new course through the tempest. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) urged direct
talks-without preconditions - between the United States and Iran as a means to
resolve the concerns about Iran's nuclear program as well as on a comprehensive
set of issues. (Full
transcripts of her speech available here)
Washington DC - You can’t take the parliamentary elections in Iran at face value, it seems. Panelists at the National Iranian American Council’s April 8 conference agreed that Iran’s March 14 parliamentary (Majles) elections were rife with shady dealings andglad-handing. “Elections [in Iran] are not free or fair, but always interesting,” Barbara Slavin, a Fellow at the US Institute of Peace and Senior Diplomatic Reporter for USA Today, said.
Washington,
DC, April 9, 2008 – Panelists yesterday urged against US-backed sanctions on
Iran, and instead encouraged direct talks—without preconditions—between the US
and Iran as a way to curtail Iran’s nuclear program.
“I
believe we should begin to pursue a robust, diplomatic initiative with Iran on
all issues and without preconditions,” Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) said in
her keynote address.
The National Iranian
American Council’s half-day conference, held at 325 Russell Senate Office
Building, featured two panels and a keynote address by Senator Feinstein. More
than 200 people attended, including accredited media, congressional members and
staff, and the academic community.
Washington,
DC, April 8, 2008
– Today, the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), the largest grassroots
Iranian-American organization, hosts foreign policy A-listers, Congressional
members and staff, key academics and accredited media to discuss ways to break
the US-Iran stalemate.
Most
analysts agree: Iran’s nuclear program is progressing faster than the West can
muster pressure on Tehran. NIAC’s half-day conference on Capitol Hill addresses
the central question: How can the US prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb, even if
Tehran continues to enrich uranium?
The conference, scheduled
from 1:45pm to 6:00pm in 325 Russell Senate Office Building, features former
IAEA Director, Hans Blix, and former Under-Secretary of State for Political
Affairs Ambassador, Thomas Pickering, both of whom will address the proposal
for a multinational enrichment facility inside Iran.
Washington DC - Today,
the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) launched its new logo and amended
mission statement, reflecting the organization’s growth and increased reach.
Since
its inception in 2002, NIAC has grown to become the largest grassroots
Iranian-American organization in the United States. NIAC’s influence
transcends the beltway to affect Iranian Americans all over the US.
Washington DC - Iranian American Darius Shahinfar has announced his candidacy for New York’s 21st District Congressional seat. The seat is being vacated
by retiring Representative Michael McNulty (D-NY) who has represented the district since
1988.Shahinfar made his official
announcement at a news
conference in Albany, launching a campaign to ‘Renew America’s Promise’.
Washington
DC -
A March 13 event on Capitol Hill intended to expose Iran’s human rights violations
was overcome with political rivalry and infighting. The event, a one-hour briefing on Iran’s human
rights record, was eventually broken up by Capitol Hill police officers.
The
briefing piggy backed on a recent rise in concern over Iran’s human rights
abuses, and attempted to unite several Iranian ethnic and religious minority
groups. The event, hosted by the Iran Working Group and
The Leadership Council for Human
Rights (LCHR), was aimed at uniting some of the many factions inside Iran, but
fell apart due to internal rivalries.
Washington
DC - Thousands of priceless artifacts from Persepolis that are on loan to the
University of Chicago risk being auctioned off to the highest bidder. In an
effort to defend the collective cultural heritage of Iranian Americans, the
National Iranian American Council (NIAC) has secured pro bono representation
from with Mayer Brown LLP with connection to the case, Rubin v. Islamic
Republic of Iran.
“The
Iranian-American community has felt helpless in face of this threat to their
historic heritage,” said Trita Parsi, NIAC President. “With Mayer Brown’s help,
we are creating an avenue for the community to have their concerns and
interests considered in this legal battle.”
Tempers between the United States
and Iran have flared over Iran’s nuclear program and its alleged intervention
in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many have wondered if the two countries would ever
find common ground. However, several controversial rulings in the United States
federal court have resulted in just that: the United States’ Justice and State
Departments have momentarily put aside their differences with Iran in order to
protect several thousand Iranian cultural artifacts.
The current situation that has Iran
and the United States temporarily burying the hatchet is a delicate and
controversial issue. The issue is a lawsuit brought by the American survivors
(and families of victims) of a 1997 Hamas suicide attack in Jerusalem, in which
five people were killed and over 100 injured.
The
plaintiffs claim that several thousand priceless artifacts from the ancient
city of Persepolis should be auctioned off to pay restitution for the terrorist
attack. Thus far, they have won a string of judgments against the Iranian
government. Until recently, the Iranian Government had refused representation
in American federal court, therefore being ruled unable to refute support for
Hamas or justification for punitive actions against the artifacts.
Los Angeles - The Los Angeles Iranian-American community came together on Saturday, February 23 to call out against a potential U.S.-Iran war and promote diplomatic talks. Representatives Diane Watson (D-CA) and Keith Ellison (D-MN), who oppose war and favor negotiations, were among the guest speakers. Both representatives encouraged the Iranian-American community to support their efforts.The event, a private fundraiser held in Palos Verdes, was hosted by the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) and chaired by Marsha Ershaghi of NIAC’s Board of Director. NIAC, the largest grassroots Iranian-American advocacy organization in the United States, is dedicated to advancing the interests of the Iranian-American community.
Washington DC - NIAC has protested Google’s inclusion of the politically divisive term “Arabian Gulf” on its application Google Earth. Historically, the usage of this term for the Persian Gulf has been led by pan-Arab figures such as Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser and Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to rally the Arab masses against the non-Arab peoples in the Middle East. Read NIAC's Letter to Google.
As the 2008 election season heats up, NIAC is
conducting workshops in cities around the country to educate the Iranian
American community on how to influence policy makers and impact the American
political process. Sponsored in part by
PARSA Community Foundation, these six-hour workshops are geared towards
Iranian-Americans interested in leveraging their votes, donations, and time into
having an impact on policy. (Coming up in February:
Portland,
Boston,
LA,
Irvine, and
Chicago).
Opponents
of diplomacy and proponents of war in small minority
For Immediate release
Contact: Emma Mackinnon 202 302 6920
Washington DC - Iranian Americans overwhelmingly support dialogue and
diplomacy between the United States and Iran, a scientific
poll conducted by the University of California Berkeley shows. Support for
military strikes against Iran is minimal in the community. This stands in stark
contrast to sentiments in the Iraqi-American community, who tended to support
the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
NIAC is
currently intensifying its efforts to establish a strong Iranian American voice
in Washington and will therefore require a significant expansion of its staff. We
are immediately hiring a Legislative Associate and
a new Office Manager.
Candidates
for these positions should be able to demonstrate high motivation, broad but
relevant knowledge, and a desire to serve the Iranian American community through
a superb academic record and impressive professional/volunteer experience. The
positions listed here are all available immediately and we encourage applicants to
submit their materials as quickly as possible.
As the presidential elections draw near, Iranian Americans are faced
with the challenge of gleaning candidate positions on Iran amidst a
blur of sound bytes and vague rhetoric. Iran remains a key issue in
both Republican and Democratic debates and
continues to play a major role in determining who will be elected
president. With the recent emergence of the National Intelligence
Estimate deeming Iran’s nuclear weapons program halted since 2003,
candidates must now tread carefully on earlier positions that rested on
the imminent warnings of a nuclear Iran. Which candidates favor
policies that will reduce the risk of war with Iran?
Washington DC - The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) has been the target of several erroneous, maliciously defamatory opinion pieces by Kenneth Timmerman and Hassan Daioleslam in Frontpage Magazine. The articles are riddled with inaccuracies, misquotations, incorrect links and references to figures that played no role in NIAC's inception, operations, or its development over the years.
Washington
DC - Last month, the US House of Representatives amended foreign debt relief
legislation to exclude countries with “business interests with Iran.”
Washington
DC – Congratulations to Artin Afkhami, a senior at the University of
California, Berkeley. This summer, NIAC will sponsor Artin’s internship in the
office of California Senator Dianne Feinstein, where Artin will experience
Capitol Hill first hand by attending committee hearings and researching
legislation. 
Washington DC - During a Senate hearing on the State Department’s 2009 budget, Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) engaged in a frank exchange with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice over US policy on Iran. In his address to Rice during the hearing, which was held by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, Specter called for bilateral talks with Iran without preconditions.
Washington DC - Five lawmakers urged Congress to heed the warning signs of impending war with Iran and called for passage of legislation requiring Congressional authorization for military action and direct diplomatic engagement with the “rogue” nation.
Washington DC - Iran is currently under global pressure for its nuclear program, its alleged state sponsorship of terrorist organizations, and the increasingly belligerent rhetoric of its President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. According to the findings of a panel on Capitol Hill on April 15, these issues need multi-layered solutions. The event, “Iran and the United States: Outlook for the Next Decade?”, was hosted by the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies and the International Center for Terrorism Studies.
Washington DC - "The United States and the West have painted themselves into a corner," Hans Blix, former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Wednesday. Blix was referring to the Bush administration’s insistence that Iran suspend enrichment of uranium before talks can proceed. Iran has refused to do so, claiming that it is unacceptable to be expected to concede the main object under negotiation before talks even begin.
Washington,
DC, April 9, 2008 – Panelists yesterday urged against US-backed sanctions on
Iran, and instead encouraged direct talks—without preconditions—between the US
and Iran as a way to curtail Iran’s nuclear program. 
Washington DC - Iranian American 
