National Iranian American Council
MottoCommunity. Democracy. Universal Rights.
Founder(s)Trita Parsi, Babak Talebi, Farzin Illich
EstablishedJanuary 2002 (2002-01)
PresidentJamal Abdi
Location
Washington
,
DC
,
United States
Websitewww.niacouncil.org

The National Iranian American Council (NIAC; Persian: شورای ملی ایرانیان آمریکا) is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization with the stated mission of "strengthening the voice of Iranian Americans and promoting greater understanding between the American and Iranian people".[1] Trita Parsi, 2010 recipient of the Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order, was the organization's founder and former president.[2]

In 2015, NIAC Action was formed and serves as the organization's connected Political Action Committee.[3] Numerous conspiracy theories plague the organization, with accusations it's pro-diplomacy stance stems from connections with the Iranian Government.[4][5][6][7]

Background

NIAC was founded in 2002 by Trita Parsi, Babak Talebi, and Farzin Illich to promote Iranian-American relations.[8]

Policy Positions

War and Diplomacy

NIAC advocates against war with Iran and advocated extensively in support of the Iran nuclear deal. The Congressional publication, The Hill, cited NIAC's work in support of the Iran nuclear accord as one of the "Top lobbying victories of 2015".[9] Shortly, before the conclusion of the Iran nuclear deal, NIAC urged members of Congress to support the Schakowsky-Doggett-Price House letter, the strongest Congressional statement of support for diplomacy with Iran on record. The letter was signed by 150 Members of Congress, and signaled to the Obama administration enough Democrats would support a diplomatic agreement with Iran to block a veto override of any legislative attempts to undo the agreement.[10] The organization also supported an earlier letter supporting diplomacy, the Dent-Price letter, which was signed by 131 Representatives. The Dent-Price letter advocated for giving negotiations with Iran on the nuclear issue a chance after the election of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.[11]

Human Rights

During the Iranian Green Movement, NIAC urged President Obama to condemn the Iranian government’s crackdown on peaceful demonstrators after the disputed election. As the violent crackdown escalated, NIAC put out a statement arguing “the only plausible way to end the violence is for new elections to be held with independent monitors ensuring its fairness”.[12]

The organization supported the Stand with the Iranian People Act, introduced by U.S. Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN), which included proposals for targeted measures against individual Iranian government officials responsible for human right abuses. In 2011, NIAC successfully advocated for the re-establishment a United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran to investigate rights abuses. [13]

Sanctions on Iran

NIAC has a generally negative view of broad economic sanctions, opposing many proposals to sanction Iran and urging the repeal of certain aspects of sanctions it calls counterproductive.[14] The organization led campaigns to lift sanctions that blocked humanitarian organizations from providing disaster relief to Iranians, and helped remove sanctions on online communication tools like Facebook and YouTube.[15]

A NIAC report concluded that U.S. sanctions on Iran cost the U.S. economy between $135 billion and $175 billion in lost export revenue between 1995 and 2012.[16] After the Iran nuclear deal was implemented and U.S. secondary sanctions on Iran were eased, the organization questioned the utility of the broad economic embargo the U.S. maintains on trade with Iran.[17]

Lobbying for Iranian Students in the U.S.

NIAC apparently has worked on behalf of Iranian students in the U.S. NIAC led the campaign to change the U.S.'s single-entry visa policy towards Iranian students, by allowing Iranian students to receive multiple entry visas to facilitate their travel to the country, a measure that the Obama administration adopted in 2011.[18]

Efforts to save ancient Persian artifacts

NIAC opposed efforts to confiscate ancient Persian artifacts from the University of Chicago, the Chicago Field Museum, Harvard University, and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts as part of court cases filed against the Iranian government.[19]

Lobbying controversy and defamation lawsuit

In 2007, Arizona-based Iranian-American journalist Hassan Daioleslam began publicly asserting that NIAC was lobbying on behalf of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In response, Parsi sued him for defamation. As a result of the lawsuit, many internal documents were released, which former Washington Times correspondent Eli Lake stated "raise questions" about whether the organization had violated U.S. lobbying regulations.[20] Lake's article further mentions that “two lawyers who read some of the same documents said they did not provide enough evidence to conclude that Mr. Parsi was acting as a foreign agent.” Andrew Sullivan responded to the story in The Atlantic, suggesting the motive of the story was to "smear" Parsi's reputation.[21]

In September 2012, U.S. Federal District Court Judge John D. Bates threw out the libel suit against Daioleslam on the grounds that "NIAC and Parsi had failed to show evidence of actual malice, either that Daioeslam acted with knowledge the allegations he made were false or with reckless disregard about their accuracy."[22] However, Judge Bates also noted that "nothing in this opinion should be construed as a finding that [Daioleslam's] articles were true. [Daioleslam] did not move for summary judgement on that ground, and it has not been addressed here."[23] On April 9, 2013, Judge Bates ordered NIAC to cover a portion of Daioleslam's legal expenses.[24]

Based on a 2015 Business Insider report, Judge John D. Bates rejected NIAC's lawsuit against Daioleslam, arguing that the NIAC's president work was "not inconsistent with the idea that he was first and foremost an advocate for the regime." The judge came to the conclusion that it is reasonable to rationally assert that NIAC is lobbying on behalf of the Iranian government.[25][23]

A March 2015 column by Eli Lake in Bloomberg View asserted that the emails showed cooperation between Parsi and the then Iran ambassador to the United Nations and current Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.[26] NIAC's webpage confirms “that Parsi developed a relationship with Zarif after interviewing him on “numerous occasions for his book.” It states that Parsi made introductions for members of the U.S. Congress to meet with Zarif at the request of the lawmakers.[27] According to The Washington Time's article, "Law enforcement experts who reviewed some of the documents, which were made available to The Times by the defendant in the suit, say e-mails between Mr. Parsi and Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations at the time, Javad Zarif - and an internal review of the Lobbying Disclosure Act - offer evidence that the group has operated as an undeclared lobby and may be guilty of violating tax laws, the Foreign Agents Registration Act and lobbying disclosure laws."[28]

Policy conference

Since 2011, NIAC has held an annual Leadership Conference that "aims to expose its attendees to world-class leaders, and to teach Iranian Americans how to gain the political strength needed to effect real change on the issues". The conference in 2015 included addresses from Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), as well as Representatives Donna Edwards (D-MD) and Dan Kildee (D-MI).[29]

Demonstration against NIAC

A placard in a Iran solidarity protests in Berlin on 22 October 2022 has written "NIAC IS NOT OUR VOICE" on it.

In July 2019, some members of the Iranian community in the United States organized a demonstration in front of NIAC office in Washington DC. They believed NIAC is "the representative of the corrupt and brutal Islamic Republic regime" and not the voice of the Iranian-Americans.[30] In response, a NIAC staff member appeared on BBC Persian and expressed support for free speech and described the protesters as supporters of the Donald Trump administration's policies toward Iran.[31]

Iranians who were protesting for regime change believe that NIAC has not joined the Women, Life, Freedom Movement and is still looking for a way to reform by trying to reestablish the JCPOA deal.[32]

Republican Senators' call to investigate NIAC

In January 2020, three Republican senators Tom Cotton, Ted Cruz and Mike Braun claimed that NIAC and its sister organization NIAC Action have violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and they are "amplifying regime propaganda in the United States". They requested the US Attorney-General William Barr to "evaluate whether an investigation of NIAC is warranted for potential FARA violations and to ensure transparency regarding foreign attempts to influence the US political process."[33][34][35]

As of January 2024, there have been no discovery of information connecting NIAC Action to violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Mission and Vision". NIAC. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "October 29 – A Conversation with Trita Parsi – Grawemeyer Awards". Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  3. ↑ "The Political Home for Champions of the Iranian-American Community". NIAC Action Pac. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  4. ↑ "Diaspora Blues: Why the Iranian Diaspora in the United States Disappoints Me". HuffPost. 3 December 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  5. ↑ Petti, Matthew. ""Iran Lobby" conspiracy theories turn into defamation lawsuits". www.pettimatthew.com. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  6. ↑ Salzmann, Karl (27 September 2023). "Ted Cruz Alleges 'Vast Iranian Influence Operation That Goes to the Very Top' of the Biden Admin". Washington Free Beacon. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  7. ↑ "NIAC Responds to Baseless Accusations by Senators Cotton, Cruz, and Braun | Common Dreams". www.commondreams.org. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  8. ↑ NIAC Staff. "Frequently Asked Questions". Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  9. ↑ Wilson, Megan R. (16 December 2015). "Top lobbying victories of 2015". The Hill. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  10. ↑ "Schakowsky, Doggett, Price Send Letter to President in Support of Iran Negotiations Signed by 150 Members | Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky". schakowsky.house.gov. 7 May 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  11. ↑ "The Summer of War or Peace With Iran". HuffPost. 13 May 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  12. ↑ "NIAC Welcomes Obama's Strong Condemnation of Violence by Iran's Government". NIAC. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  13. ↑ "NIAC Welcomes Appointment of New Iran Human Rights Rapporteur". NIAC. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  14. ↑ Gladstone, Rick (11 September 2013). "U.S. Eases Sanctions to Allow Good-Will Exchanges With Iran". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  15. ↑ Nissenbaum, Dion; Sparshott, Jeffrey (30 May 2013). "U.S. Eases Tech Exports to Help Iranian Dissenters". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  16. ↑ "Sanctions on Iran cost the U.S. as much as $175 billion, study says". Washington Post. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  17. ↑ "It's pointless to be the last country sanctioning Iran". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 13 July 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  18. ↑ "U.S. Eases Visa Policy for Iranian Students – The Ticker - Blogs - The Chronicle of Higher Education". www.chronicle.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  19. ↑ AP (22 February 2009). "Terror victims seeking Persian relics in court". msnbc.com. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  20. ↑ Eli Lake (13 November 2009). "Iran advocacy group said to skirt lobby rules". The Washington Times.
  21. ↑ Sullivan, Andrew (16 November 2009). "'Send It To Lake Right Away!'". The Daily Dish. Atlantic Media. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  22. ↑ Josh Gerstein (13 September 2012). "Iranian-American group, leader lose libel case against writer". Politico. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
  23. 1 2 "UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA". uscourts.gov. 5 March 2015. Archived from the original on 7 December 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  24. ↑ "Sanctioning Iran's American Allies: NIAC ordered to pay nearly $200K in legal fees". Washington Free Beacon. 22 April 2013.
  25. ↑ "America's most prominent group advocating engagement with Iran was hit with a rough court decision". BusinessInsider.com. 5 March 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  26. ↑ "Iran's Charmer in Chief Wins Again". Bloomberg.com. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  27. ↑ "Myths vs. Facts, Continued - NIAC". 26 April 2015. Archived from the original on 26 April 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  28. ↑ https://www.washingtontimes.com, The Washington Times. "EXCLUSIVE: Iran advocacy group said to skirt lobby rules". The Washington Times. Retrieved 19 October 2022. {{cite web}}: External link in |last= (help)
  29. ↑ "Lawmakers Address 2015 NIAC Leadership Conference". NIAC. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  30. ↑ Radio Farda. "Protest Gathering Held Outside National Iranian American Council". Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  31. ↑ @bbcpersian (20 July 2019). "Register" (Tweet). Retrieved 19 October 2020 – via Twitter.
  32. ↑ Toosi, Nahal (19 November 2022). "Iranian diaspora's divisions burst into open during Halifax forum". Politico. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  33. ↑ Jerusalem Post (15 January 2020). "Senators call to investigate pro-Iran group - report". Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  34. ↑ BBC. "سه سناتور خواستار تحقیق درباره گروه ایرانی آمریکایی نایاک شدند". BBC News فارسی. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  35. ↑ Deutsche Welle. "نامه سه سناتور به دادگستری آمریکا برای بررسی پرونده "نایاک"". Retrieved 15 January 2020.
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