Statement on the Execution of Mohsen Shekari
The execution of Mohsen Shekari just weeks after a sham trial is an outrage and a profound miscarriage of justice, and represents yet another young life ended by the Islamic Republic’s brutality. The National Iranian American Council unequivocally condemns the execution of Shekari and calls on the Iranian government to halt all executions and free the 18,000 prisoners who have been unjustly detained.
NIAC Policy Recommendations in Response to Nationwide Protests
The National Iranian American Council sent the following letter to the Biden Administration detailing several important steps to show solidarity with the people of Iran as they challenge their nation’s mandatory hijab laws and the state’s brutal repression.
NIAC Calls on Biden to Allow Greater Internet Access for Iranians Amidst Protests by Revising Outdated Sanctions License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.
NIAC Statement on OFAC issuing General License Authorizing Exportation of Educational Services for all Iranian students
The Biden administration’s extension of general licensing allowing students in Iran impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to continue remote coursework is an important step. Its extension is a welcome move, as no sanctions should stand in the way of education and academic exchange.
NIAC Applauds Effort to Secure Accurate Representation of MENA Communities in Federal Data
Establishment of a MENA category would finally begin to address a gap for communities like ours in research and policymaking on subjects like health outcomes, socioeconomic conditions, and civic engagement. And, it could set a path for accurately counting and securing representation for our communities in the Census and to obtain community benefits from federal agencies like the Small Business Administration
Statement on US-Israel War Games
War games won’t resolve the nuclear crisis with Iran, nor would an illegal war of aggression that is being implicitly threatened via America’s participation in Israel’s latest military exercises. The Biden administration at times seems more concerned by the political blowback of diplomacy than the real blowback of another war or a new nuclear state.
NIAC Letter to Biden Administration to Support Iranian Internet Access
Washington, DC – The National Iranian American Council sent a letter today to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen calling on the Biden administration to support the rights of Iranian protestors with better access to the internet. The letter urges the U.S. Treasury Department to update General License D-1 to […]
NIAC Statement on Protests in Southwest Iran
Jamal Abdi, President of the National Iranian American Council, issued the following statement regarding reports of protests across several provinces in Iran: “We are deeply concerned by reports and videos shared online of protests in Iran, which began a week ago in Khuzestan and have spread to other provinces in Southwestern Iran including Lorestan, and […]
Our Statement Regarding the Film Screenings with Iranian Actor Parviz Parastui
برای خواندن این بیانیه به فارسی اینجا را کلیک کنید Last week, film screenings in LA and Orange County featuring Iranian actor Parviz Parastui were marred by controversy as attendees of the screening were confronted by demonstrators accusing them of supporting the Iranian government. We at NIAC believe that people-to-people exchanges and citizen diplomacy between […]
Diaspora communities, humanitarian and human rights organizations call on Biden to reform sanctions policies
Washington, DC – Today, 24 organizations representing American diaspora communities impacted by U.S. sanctions, as well as humanitarian relief, human rights, and pro-peace organizations, called on the Biden administration to reassess U.S. sanctions and economic policies that carry a heavy human cost, worsened by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The letter states, “Whether country-wide sanctions or […]
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 […]
NIAC Statement on the Few Democratic Legislators Objecting to Iran Diplomacy
Read the letter here.