NIAC Urges Diplomatic Action at UNGA to Prevent Escalation
Iran’s new president clearly wants to negotiate and has sent a delegation to the UN that includes its previous successful nuclear negotiating team. It would be malpractice for the Biden administration not to test this opportunity.
Israeli Escalation Continues to Threaten Regional Stability and Peace
As regional war looms and civilian casualties mount, NIAC urges the Biden administration to use all available leverage to secure a ceasefire and halt violence.
NIAC Statement on Persian Gulf Militarization
Washington, DC – Ryan Costello, Policy Director with the National Iranian American Council, issued the following statement regarding reports that U.S. Marines would imbed with oil tankers transiting the Persian Gulf, following tit for tat seizures of oil tankers from the U.S. and Iran in recent months: “The enforcement of unilateral U.S. sanctions on Iran, […]
Senate Rejects Amendments to Open Door to War with Iran in AUMF Debate
After the years of tragedy and disaster that followed the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Senate voted to repeal the 2002 authorization to use force against Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. NIAC has urged that the decades-old authorization be repealed to prevent it from being abused as a blank check for presidents to justify U.S. military action on Iran without any public debate or approval from Congress.
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 […]
NIAC Statement on Conclusion of Doha Negotiations
Ryan Costello, Policy Director with the National Iranian American Council, issued the following statement after the conclusion of two days of Iran nuclear negotiations in Doha, Qatar: “The Doha talks this week were an important opportunity to inject life into the vital Iran nuclear negotiations. Unfortunately, the Biden administration still seems more interested in winning […]
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 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. […]
Learning from the Past – The Failures of Militant Counterrevolution in Iran and Cuba
“Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.” – Foundation, Isaac Asimov
Although I am not a part of the Iranian diaspora, I have seen many similarities between its history and that of a diaspora I am part of – Cuban exiles. My grandmother, aunt, and mother were born in Cuba and fled its communist government for a better life in America. Like many other Cuban exiles they hate Fidel Castro, and want few things more than to bring his regime down. How precisely to do this, however, is a point of contention – my mother favors diplomatic relations with Cuba and expanding socioeconomic exchanges to foster demand for reform. On the other hand, my grandmother and aunt oppose engagement with the regime on the grounds that dialogue would legitimize it.
What We Can Learn From Obama’s Cultural Diplomacy
From proposed religious litmus tests for Muslim immigrants to unrelenting efforts to kill the Iran deal and thwart trade and academic exchange, this election has left many in the Iranian-American community feeling alienated. Rhetoric has only intensified fear of Muslims and immigrants and policymaking has only made escape from the mire of identity politics more […]