برای خواندن این مطلب به فارسی اینجا را کلیک کنید
Washington, DC – Jamal Abdi, President of The National Iranian American Council (NIAC), has issued the following statement as the United States and Iran prepare for the second round of nuclear talks in Rome, following The New York Times’ report revealing that Israel is pressing the U.S. to back plans for a major military operation against Iran:
“The choice before us is now undeniable: a verifiable diplomatic agreement or a catastrophic war. The New York Times has confirmed that Israel is actively pressuring the United States to support a sweeping military strike on Iran—including ground operations and sustained bombing campaigns that could last for days and recur for months. This is not theoretical. These are live war plans being pushed while negotiations are underway. The same actors who have long tried to sabotage diplomacy are now working overtime to close the window before a deal can be reached.
“Diplomacy has put those plans on hold—for now. President Trump has reportedly declined to endorse Israel’s strike proposal, and the next round of negotiations is set to take place this Saturday in Rome. But unless this opportunity is protected and pursued, it could be the last. There is no third option. Without a deal, the path leads directly to escalation—one that would risk regional war, humanitarian disaster, and potential threats against the rights and safety of Iranian Americans here at home.
“We have seen what happens when diplomacy fails: widespread sanctions that impoverish ordinary Iranians, bombings that destabilize the region, and collective punishment in the United States—from travel bans to surveillance and systemic discrimination against Iranian Americans. The consequences of another war could be even more far-reaching.
“Our community overwhelmingly supports diplomacy because we know what’s at stake. In NIAC’s 2025 member survey, nearly 90% said the U.S. should pursue a diplomatic resolution to the nuclear crisis. Preventing war was ranked as the top priority. And 97% of respondents opposed the broad sanctions that have devastated the Iranian people without delivering results. In 2024, we reached out to more than 120,000 Iranian-American voters across 16 states. Three out of four respondents said the U.S. must prioritize avoiding war with Iran—across parties, across generations, and especially in key battleground states.
“We cannot allow those who have always sought to speak over us—whether in Washington think tanks or foreign governments—to hijack our voice in support of policies we reject. Iranian Americans do not want war. We want peace, dignity, and a future free from fear. This moment demands leadership, clarity, and courage. The Trump administration must stay focused on a deal that caps Iran’s nuclear program, restores inspections, and lifts inhumane sanctions. Anything else is not a strategy—it’s a step toward catastrophe.”
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