Legal Loggerheads: Long Road Ahead to Lifting Sanctions
We’ll soon find out whether the decade-old nuclear dispute with Iran can be resolved diplomatically, as the parties return to Vienna next month to hammer out a comprehensive agreement. So far, negotiations have been deftly handled by both US and Iranian negotiators – the positive atmosphere, so critical to staving off domestic opposition, having been maintained […]
NIAC Condemns Arrest of “Happy” Youth
The irony that the Iranian youth were arrested for dancing to a song called “Happy” seems to be lost on the Iranian authorities. The Iranian people cannot be forced to live in a world where enrichment is a right, but happiness is not.
Thank You, New York!
Our New York Fundraiser was a success thanks to all those who attended, made contributions, and our friends and incredible speakers Stephen Kinzer, Joseph Cirincione, and Congressman Blumenauer. Thank you all for your contributions to peace, diplomacy, and human rights and your continued support!
Want to book a flight to Iran on Kayak? Sorry. But North Korea’s nice this time of year.
When Iranian Americans started reaching out to us a few weeks ago asking why websites like Kayak and Priceline were no longer allowing users to book flights to Iran, NIAC contacted the top executives of seven online travel agencies currently engaging in the practice to attempt to fix the problem. We told these companies – Orbitz, Priceline, […]
Obama & Romney Agree on Sanctions As Medicine Grows Scarce in Iran
When it came to sanctions, the third presidential debate resembled an argument over which candidate could punish Iranians more with the “most crippling sanctions ever.” Meanwhile, the number of unavailable medicines in Iran jumped from 30 to 90 in the last five months according to tejaratnews.com. There has been a gradual slide towards crisis for […]
Iranian pastor accused of apostasy is released
Yousef Nadarkhani, the Iranian Christian pastor who was sentenced to death after being found guilty of apostasy, has been released from prison after tireless work by his lawyers and an international outcry regarding his situation. Early in his life, Nadarkhani abandoned his Islamic faith and by age 19 officially converted to Christianity and shortly thereafter began […]
Use and Misuse of the Word “Terrorism” – Let’s Talk Iran
Discussing the use and misuse of the word “terrorism” with commentator, activist, attorney and author of her award-winning book War on Error: Real Stories of American Muslims, Melody Moezzi. Melody addresses the media’s role in politicizing the term and what the likely implications are for the Iranian-American community and U.S. policy.
Dorothy Parvaz is released, but will Iran open up on human rights abuses?
In welcome news, Dorothy Parvaz–the Al Jazeera English correspondent who was detained in Syria two weeks ago and later deported to Iran–was released yesterday. She arrived in Doha, Qatar on a flight from Iran and detailed her ordeal in an interview with Al Jazeera here. But while it is an immense relief that Parvaz has […]
Watch: Answering the Iranian People’s Call for Human Rights
On March 15, NIAC hosted a conference, Answering the Iranian People’s Call for Human Rights, featuring US and Swedish government officials, human rights experts, and Iran specialists. The conference, which was held in the US Senate, was convened to discuss productive approaches to supporting human rights in Iran, including efforts now underway at the UN […]
NIAC Applauds Senate Call for Human Rights Monitor
NIAC applauds Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) and 23 other Senators who today called for the Obama Administration to work with the international community to establish an independent U.N. human rights monitor on Iran when the U.N. Human Rights Council convenes this March. The action taken by the Senators in support of greater international scrutiny of […]
Leading Diplomats, Experts and Organizations Call on Obama to Reinvigorate Diplomacy with Iran
For Immediate Release Contact: Phil Elwood Phone: 202-423-7957 Email: [email protected] Washington, DC – On the eve of talks between the P5+1 and Iran in Istanbul, a diverse group of diplomats, arms control experts, Iran experts, democracy and human rights defenders, and leading Iranian-American, Jewish-American, and pro-peace organizations issued a statement urging the Obama Administration to […]
Humanitarian Tragedy in Iran Yet Another Wakeup Call
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6mbkCLGbZg] This past weekend an Iranian Boeing 727 crashed in northwestern Iran while attempting an emergency landing, taking at least 77 lives. Headlines regarding fatal plane crashes in Iran have become all too common in recent years, and the increasing number of innocent people killed in these incidents draws attention to the worst effects of […]