NIAC Progress Report as of January 2024

Transparency is core to NIAC’s values. Here is a breakdown of some of our work in 2024 through the month of January

• Peace and Diplomacy 

  • Worked in Washington and mobilized thousands across the country to block funding for the war in Gaza, require US aid to Israel comply with international human rights standards, and continue pressuring the Biden Administration for a ceasefire
    • Statement on  Senate Supplemental Aid Package
    • NIAC Joins 80 Organizations Urging President Biden to Prioritize Diplomacy & Ceasefire
  •  Fought back against calls for the U.S. to bomb Iran
    • NIAC Statement on U.S. Retaliatory Strikes Following Loss of 3 American Servicemembers in Jordan

  Civil Rights:

  • Challenged the Florida ban against positions for Iranian students
    • Discriminatory Florida Law Bars Certain University Offers to Iranian Nationals
    •  فرماندار فلوریدا ران دی‌سانتیس قانون تبعیض‌آمیزی را امضا کرده که دانشگا‌های این ایالت را از همکاری با دانشجویان ایرانی منع می‌کند.
  • Renewed our demand for reforms to protect our community on the four-year anniversary of the 2020 detainment of Iranians and Iranian Americans.
    • Department of Homeland Security Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties – 4 years after Iranian Detainments
  • Conducted briefings with lawmakers and Administration officials regarding discriminatory bank account closures targeting Iranian Americans and other immigrant communities
  • Joined California MENA Coalition to advocate for CA MENA Inclusion Act

  Immigration:

  • Continued work to increase visas and refugee processing for Iranians to be able to come to the U.S.
    • Iranian Visa Processing One Year After the “Woman, Life, Freedom” Protests
  • Worked with lawmakers on legislation to eliminate visa backlogs and block efforts to reduce green cards for Iranians

  Media coverage and analysis:

  •  Al Jazeera Interview
  • Statement covered in Salon
  • Statement covered in Raw Story
  • Statement covered in Nation of Change
  • Statement covered in BNN
  •  Statement covered in Al Jazeera

  Iran Unfiltered Publications:

  • NIAC published four digests covering key issues inside Iran including:
  • Rouhani Disqualified from Participating in Assembly of Experts Election…
  • Escalation with a Nuclear-Armed Neighbor: Pakistan’s Counterattack…
  • Iran Detains an American Oil Tanker Five Months After the U.S. Seized Iranian Oil in Texas…
  • Tragedy Strikes Kerman: Soleimani Anniversary Ceremony Hit by Deadly Terror Attacks…

  Human Rights Trackers:

  • As part of NIAC’s ongoing work monitoring human rights inside Iran, NIAC published three pieces in January including:
  • Mohammad Ghobadlou’s Execution: Disregard for Due Process and Human Rights
  • After 400 Days of Unjust Imprisonment, Elaheh Mohammadi and Niloufar Hamedi are Released
  • The Defiance of Roya Heshmati: Lashes Fail to Break the Resilience of Iranian Women