NIAC Calls on Biden to Allow Greater Internet Access for Iranians Amidst Protests by Revising Outdated Sanctions License
We are once again inspired by the bravery of the Iranian people standing up against state violence following the tragic killing of Mahsa Amini by the so-called morality police. Statements of solidarity and condemnations of state violence are a good start, but the Biden administration should go a step further and take a tangible step to support internet freedom in Iran.
Combatting Misinformation on JCPOA Negotiations
With the U.S. and Iran continuing to exchange proposals on reviving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, one indication that a restored nuclear deal with Iran may be close is increasing misinformation about the negotiations and what a final deal might look like. While it is difficult to know what an agreement looks like when […]
Iran Nuclear Talks Update: New Progress Comes with New Stumbling Block, and Polling Shows Wide Support for Renewal Among Americans
Four days of multilateral negotiations concluded in Vienna on Monday, with reports of progress in reviving the text of an agreement to restore the 2015 Iran nuclear deal that had been languishing since March. However, significant hurdles remain, despite the EU’s declarations that the text was a final draft that would not be edited. While […]
House Passes Important Amendments in NDAA Debate
Washington, DC – We’ve got great news. All four of NIAC Action’s priority amendments have been added to the National Defense Authorization Act, which will soon pass the House of Representatives. They are: Reps. Chuy García (D-IL) and Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) amendment mandating a review of the humanitarian impacts of U.S. sanctions. Despite all of […]
Several Iran Amendments Submitted to NDAA in House
Washington, DC – As early as next week, the House of Representatives will consider the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – often the most significant annual foreign policy legislation that is considered by the U.S. Congress. The NDAA is one of the few foreign-policy related bills that is considered a “must-pass” priority by both Congress […]
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 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”, […]
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.” […]
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. […]
Memo: The Designation Overshadowing the Iran Nuclear Negotiations
Reports indicate that most major issues in the Iran nuclear negotiations, aimed at restoring the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), are near the finish line. But one major hurdle appears to remain: the Trump administration’s unprecedented designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – a major branch of the armed forces in Iran […]