News & Publications

Jamal Abdi, President of the National Iranian American Council, issued the following statement following a Washington Post report indicating that the Trump administration is planning to end sanctions waivers for nonproliferation work involving the Arak reactor site and Tehran Research Reactor: “The Trump administration is deliberately seeking to provoke Iranian nuclear escalation. Hardliners like Secretary […]

New Parliament Convenes. Former Tehran Mayor Elected Parliamentary Speaker. Official Dismisses Cancellation of U.S. Sanctions Waivers.

While the struggle of black Americans for equality has spanned centuries, events in recent weeks have reignited outrage and illustrated the urgency of the Black Lives Matter movement. From George Floyd’s heinous death at the hands of police officers, to the disturbing video of Ahmaud Arbery’s murder in broad daylight, to the racist threats of Amy Cooper against Christian Cooper, it is clear that the deeply rooted racism that is endemic in American society continues to torment the lives of black Americans. 

Iranians across the nation, and across the globe, have taken to social media to express their sorrow and anger over the death of a 14-year-old girl from a small city in the Northern Gilan province of Iran. Romina Ashrafi was brutally killed at the hands of her father. According to news reports, Ashrafi eloped with her 35-year-old boyfriend against her father’s demands. After both families objected, police stepped in and returned Romina to her father, despite her protests and fears for her safety. Under the guise of the archaic and draconian notion of “honor killing,” Romina’s father heinously killed his young daughter as she slept.