The Deeply Concerning Arrest of Alireza Doroudi, a Doctoral Student
Was Doroudi’s arrest a mistake, or a case of mistaken identity? Was the arrest related to visa complications or violations of U.S. law? Right now, there’s no clear word. Yet a young man from the Iranian community here in the United States has had his future upended without any basic respect for the due process that everyone in our democracy is owed.
Pezeshkian Victory Presents Opportunities to Ease Pressures on Ordinary Iranians
Two months ago, a hardline President infamous for overseeing mass executions in the Iranian judiciary was the second most powerful man in Iran, and was expected to remain so and potentially assume the role of Supreme Leader after the eventual passing of Ali Khamenei. There was little hope on the horizon for any change after […]
Sanctions Are More Important Than Your Civil Rights
By Jamal Abdi Iranian Americans who have had their bank accounts closed or who have been subjected to invasive and persistent questioning by their banks because of their Iranian heritage were dealt another blow in the effort to stop banking discrimination. Two years ago, Bank of America was sued for shutting down the bank account […]
Michigan Democrats Deliver Biden Campaign a Wake-up Call
Michigan’s Democratic primary delivered a stark wake-up call to the Biden administration. President Biden’s bear hug of Israel and by extension Netanyahu, even as it is prosecuting a campaign credibly accused by the International Court of Justice of genocide, puts at risk his ability to win the key swing state of Michigan in November’s 2024 […]
The Threat of Another Muslim Ban is No Cover for Biden
With the 2024 Presidential Election on the horizon, many who supported Joe Biden in his first contest against Donald Trump are facing a moral and political conundrum. Trump poses an existential threat to American democracy. He has pledged retribution for his political opponents, wants to resurrect powers to intern and deport immigrant communities on the […]
Congress Engages in Dangerous Political Games with Humanitarian Waivers and Hostage Diplomacy
While intensive efforts remain underway to secure the release of hostages and extend the temporary ceasefire in Gaza, Congress is set to unravel a prior diplomatic agreement that secured the freedom of Americans held by Iran. At a time when the U.S. is engaging in high stakes and complex diplomatic undertakings across the region, some […]
Honoring Mahsa Jina Amini and Iranians’ Demands for Freedom
One year ago, 22-year-old Mahsa Jina Amini was detained by Iranian authorities who seek to deprive women of bodily autonomy. She was beaten in their custody and killed at the hands of the state. As we pause and reflect on the uprising for change her death ignited, we are reminded of the brutal crackdown that ensued, the resilience of the Iranian people, and the power of collective action that unites Iranians under the banner of Woman, Life, Freedom.
Freeing Iranian Americans and humanitarian funds is a win-win
The latest Iran deal is a win-win. A complicated prisoner swap should ease drug shortages that are killing ordinary Iranians—and put new pressure on Tehran’s leaders. Read this op-ed from NIAC Policy Director Ryan Costello in Defense One.
Othering Iran: How Dehumanization of Iranians Undermines Rights at Home
This groundbreaking report explains how the dehumanization of Iranians undermines U.S. policy objectives and hurts the Iranian-American community at home, and outlines recommendations to improve the current state of affairs.
Ramin Fatehi and Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson Discuss Iranian-American Representation and Political Power
“If we don’t want to be demonized, if we didn’t want Trump to be blocking our family members, if we don’t want… the politics having to deal with Iran to be… driven by narratives that don’t involve Iranian-Americans, then we need to be in office,” said Ramin Fatehi in a recent interview. Fatehi is the […]
Join us on March 26th to discuss tech freedom and Iran
Join us for a conversation with policymakers, Internet freedom advocates, and tech industry leaders on the policies and actions the new administration and the tech industry can adopt to ensure the U.S. does not help silence Iranian voices. The panel will feature special remarks from Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and a panel discussion with Mahsa Alimardani from ARTICLE19, Peter Micek of Access Now, Mike Linksvayer from GitHub, and Amir Rashidi from the Miaan Group, moderated by Mana Mostatabi of NIAC.
NIAC Statement on U.S. Strike on Syria
We are concerned that President Biden’s first instinct when it comes to regional security in the Middle East appears to be to reach for military options instead of diplomacy. President Trump proved that responding to rocket fire in Iraq with airstrikes is not a recipe for restoring deterrence or securing American troops. Moreover, it is unclear what Congressional authorization could logically apply to attacking a militia target in Syria.