15 Organizations Urge Biden Restore Iran Nuclear Deal, Highlight Risks of Failure
Washington, DC – On June 24th, NIAC was among 15 organizations – including J Street, Ploughshares Fund, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and Win Without War – that sent a letter to President Biden underscoring the risks of continuing on the present course without reviving the Iran nuclear deal. More than a year and a […]
NIAC Statement on Passage of IAEA Resolution on Iran
Ryan Costello, Policy Director with the National Iranian American Council, issued the following statement after the IAEA Board of Governors passed a censure resolution calling on Iran to cooperate into the long-stalled investigation into some of Iran’s former nuclear activities. The resolution passed 30-2 with three abstentions: “There is only one path to restoring restraints […]
NIAC Calls on italki to Restore Services to Iranian Nationals
Washington, DC – Most major tech companies have pulled their services out of Iran in recent years due to fears of violating U.S. sanctions. As NIAC and technology experts have warned, this is profoundly harmful as it helps cut Iranians off from the global internet and forces them to rely on the government’s “National Internet”, […]
Statement on Canada’s Decision to Cancel Soccer Match with Iran
Iran’s government won’t care whether or not Team Melli is able to play in Canada, but the ordinary people of Iran certainly do. Citizen diplomacy, like sports exchanges, are crucial to countering the dehumanization of Iranians
Targeting Civilians: the Human Cost of U.S. Economic Sanctions
“22 million people {in Afghanistan} are deeply food insecure. Most pockets in the country are either one or two steps away from famine. One million Afghan children are at risk for death,” said Arash Azizzada of Afghans for a Better Tomorrow. Azizzada was underscoring the dire humanitarian impacts of U.S. sanctions during NIAC’s expert […]
Malley and Senators Defend Nuclear Negotiations in Key Iran Hearing
“The simple fact is this: As a means of constraining Iran’s nuclear program, the JCPOA was working. Leaving it has not.” U.S. Envoy to Iran Robert Malley defended the Biden administration’s Iran negotiations in a high stakes Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing this morning. The hearing took place with negotiations to restore the JCPOA, or […]
Panel Delves Into Risks of U.S.-Iran Diplomatic Deadlock
“The threat is much more urgent and Iran is much closer to a nuclear weapon from a capability perspective,” said Kelsey Davenport of the Arms Control Association. “We are very close to the point where Iran can make the decision to produce enough fissile material for a weapon and international inspectors may not detect that.” […]
Pessimism Grows about the JCPOA, Teachers Rally, & more
The U.S. says it is prepared for either scenario of the JCPOA negotiations succeeding or collapsing. Meanwhile, the EU’s coordinator for the talks seeks to go to Tehran to bridge the remaining talks. Meanwhile, a Swedish citizen Iran faces execution as the trial of a former Iranian official ended in Sweden. Teachers also rallied across Iran once again to demand higher wages.
NIAC Action Statement on Lankford Anti-Diplomacy Motion
Ryan Costello, Policy Director with National Iranian American Council Action, issued the following statement on the Senate’s non-binding vote for Sen. Lankford’s motion to instruct undermining the Biden administration’s nuclear negotiations with Iran: This was a non-binding vote, but it should be a wake-up call for the Biden administration that the deal won’t save itself. […]
Rumors swirl over nuclear talks, arrests at a landfill protest, & more
Circulating rumors claim that the JCPOA negotiations are both dead and that a deal is near. At the same time, U.S. officials still say the deal is the best option. Meanwhile, a verdict is expected in the trial of former Iranian judiciary official Hamid Nouri in Sweden, and there have been arrests at a protest in northern Iran.
Diaspora communities, humanitarian and human rights organizations call on Biden to reform sanctions policies
Washington, DC – Today, 24 organizations representing American diaspora communities impacted by U.S. sanctions, as well as humanitarian relief, human rights, and pro-peace organizations, called on the Biden administration to reassess U.S. sanctions and economic policies that carry a heavy human cost, worsened by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The letter states, “Whether country-wide sanctions or […]
Teachers protest, UN to investigate impact of sanctions, & more
School teachers have held demonstrations across Iran. They are protesting the arrests of their colleagues as well as low wages and a lack of educational resources. Meanwhile, a UN official will visit Iran in May to investigate the impact of unilateral sanctions. The nuclear negotiations also continue to be stalled.