Founded in 2002, the National Iranian American Council is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to give voice to the Iranian American community in civic life.
As one of the most highly educated minority groups in the United States, Iranian Americans have achieved success on many levels – technological, scientific, academic, and economic life – yet our community’s contributions to American civic life has been limited.
No time was this more evident than after the devastating September 11 attacks, when the Iranian-American community was nearly silent as the country confronted profound issues of national security, immigration, and the character of American society. This was when NIAC emerged as a leader, addressing the difficult issues facing our community.
NIAC Action was formed in 2015 to build political power for Iranian Americans and to champion the priorities of our community. To advance our goals, we utilize grassroots advocacy, undertake direct lobbying efforts in Washington DC, and engage political candidates. NIAC guides the organization’s issue analysis, civic education, and community engagement initiatives.
NIAC is funded by the Iranian-American community and prominent American foundations. NIAC does not receive funds from the Iranian government nor the United States government. Read more about our Financials and Transparency here.
We envision a world where the decisions that impact our community are made by our community. NIAC Action is dedicated to building political power for the Iranian-American community to advance peace & diplomacy, secure equitable immigration policies, and protect the civil rights of all Americans. NIAC, the 501(c)(3) sister organization of NIAC Action, is dedicated to educating & engaging the Iranian-American community in order to further advance these priorities.
We believe engagement takes many forms, from facilitating dialogue to nurturing civic engagement. Securing political power and advancing the priorities of the Iranian-American community hinges on robust community involvement and meaningful civil discourse.
We are dedicated to furthering the inclusivity, justice, and equality necessary to correct power imbalances and to ensure Iranian Americans are represented at all levels of civic life.
We lead by example and believe respect is integral to nurturing civic life, meaningful discourse, and cooperation among our community.
We believe transparency is the cornerstone of all trust building. From clarity around our financials and funding sources, governance, issue priorities, and policy positions, NIAC is dedicated to transparency at all levels.
Over the last 20 years, NIAC has grown to become the largest Iranian-American grassroots organization in the country, and emerged as a trusted source for elected officials, policymakers, and the media on U.S.-Iran relations.
We make transparency one of its core values and work to provide it all levels, including around our financials and funding sources, governance, and policy priorities and positions. NIAC is a proud recipient of the 2023 GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency.
